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Home/Species/ Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

(Vieillot, 1823)

Broad-winged Hawk

G5Secure Found in 72 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
PSESA Status
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100789
Element CodeABNKC19050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyAccipitridae
GenusButeo
USESAPS
Other Common Names
Aguililla Ala Ancha, Gavilán Pollero (ES) broad-winged hawk (EN) Gavião-de-Asa-Larga (PT) Petite buse (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Closely related to B. magnirostris, B. ridgwayi, and B. lineatus (AOU 1998). Validity of subspecies brunnescens is questionable; few data are available (Banks 1995).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-06
Change Date1996-11-22
Edition Date2014-03-25
Edition AuthorsJue, Dean K.
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
This species continues to be common in many parts of its range and does not appear particularly vulnerable at this time relative to many other bird species.
Range Extent Comments
BREEDS: central Alberta and central Saskatchewan and from central Manitoba to Nova Scotia, south to Gulf Coast. NORTHERN WINTER: mainly southern Florida and from Guatemala south to Peru, Bolivia, and southern Brazil. RESIDENT in West Indies (Cuba, Antigua south to Grenada and Tobago, very local in Puerto Rico (see files for subspecies BRUNNESCENS). Occurs in the western U.S. in migration.
Occurrences Comments
The population size is very large (Birdlife International, 2014) and there were an estimated 1.7 million in one flock during migration (Goodrich and Crocoll, 2014). With these data, it would be impossible for there to be fewer than 3000 EOs.
Threat Impact Comments
There are certain subspecies of this bird taht are endangered such as the West Indies race due to clearing of virgin forests but overall there are few specific threats to this species (Goodrich and Crocoll, 2014).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

BREEDING: Broadleaf and mixed forest, preferring denser situations, less frequently in open woodland. Generally perches under or in tree canopy, forages at openings, edges, and wet areas (Palmer 1988). Regularly nests near wet areas and forest openings, edges, and woodland roads. Typically nests in crotch of moderate- to large-sized tree or on branch next to trunk, about 7-12 m above ground, in bottom 1/3 of forest canopy. May modify nest of other bird or squirrel; usually does not use same nest in 2 successive years. Presence of fresh greenery typical of completed nest (Palmer 1988). NON-BREEDING: Migrates along ridges, river valleys, and shorelines. In winter, may perch and feed along heavily traveled highways. In Costa Rica, prefers open areas, forest edge, broken forest (Stiles and Skutch 1989).

Ecology

Solitary in winter, maintains feeding territory. In the West Indies, common only where red-tailed hawk (BUTEO JAMAICENSIS) does not occur (Wiley 1985).

Reproduction

Egg dates: peaks mid- to late May in the northeastern U.S., early to mid-May in the southeastern U.S.; see Palmer (1988) for full range of dates and further details. Clutch size usually is 2-3. Incubation lasts 30-38 days, normally by female only (male may cover eggs briefly), male brings food to female. In central Alberta, average hatching date was 2 July (Rusch and Doerr 1972). Young tended by both parents, leave nest at 29-31 days (perhaps older in undisturbed nests), capable of sustained horizontal flight at 5-6 weeks, depend on adults until 50-56 days old. First breeds usually at 2 years, some as yearlings (Palmer 1988). At least some birds pair with same mate in successive years. See Crocoll and Parker (1989) for information on breeding biology in western New York.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - Mixed
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5B
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoSNAYes
KansasS1BYes
IowaS3BYes
MissouriS3Yes
VermontS4BYes
TennesseeS4BYes
MassachusettsS5B,S5NYes
ColoradoS5BYes
TexasS3BYes
District of ColumbiaS1B,S4NYes
OhioS4Yes
West VirginiaS3BYes
OklahomaSNRBYes
MarylandS4BYes
New MexicoS4NYes
PennsylvaniaS4B,S5MYes
KentuckyS4BYes
MichiganS5Yes
CaliforniaSNAYes
GeorgiaS4Yes
MaineS5BYes
FloridaS4B,S5NYes
South CarolinaS4Yes
MississippiS4BYes
DelawareS1BYes
New HampshireS5BYes
ArkansasS4BYes
IndianaS3BYes
North CarolinaS4BYes
ArizonaS2MYes
Rhode IslandS4BYes
LouisianaS4BYes
UtahSNAYes
IllinoisS3Yes
AlabamaS4BYes
South DakotaS2BYes
MontanaSNAYes
ConnecticutS4BYes
North DakotaSNRBYes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
New JerseyS3B,S4NYes
New YorkS5BYes
NebraskaSUYes
VirginiaS4Yes
WisconsinS5BYes
CanadaN5B
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS5BYes
New BrunswickS5BYes
British ColumbiaS4BYes
SaskatchewanS4B,S3MYes
Yukon TerritorySUBYes
OntarioS5BYes
AlbertaS3BYes
ManitobaS4BYes
Nova ScotiaS5BYes
Northwest TerritoriesSUYes
Roadless Areas (72)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pedestal RocksOzark-St. Francis National Forest21,957
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Lpoor CanyonLos Padres National Forest13,762
Georgia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Louisiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Saline Bayou W & S River CorridorKisatchie National Forest5,355
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Minnesota (4)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Mississippi CreekSuperior National Forest5,717
Phantom LakeSuperior National Forest6,521
Montana (2)
AreaForestAcres
BeartoothGallatin National Forest5,285
ReefGallatin National Forest2,500
New Hampshire (9)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (2)
AreaForestAcres
Ryan HillCibola National Forest34,201
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
North Carolina (8)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Oklahoma (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beech CreekOuachita National Forest8,303
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little SheepWallowa-Whitman National Forest5,238
Pennsylvania (2)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
CornplanterAllegheny National Forest2,929
Tennessee (7)
AreaForestAcres
Bald River Gorge AdditionCherokee National Forest1,728
Big Laurel Branch AdditionCherokee National Forest5,577
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
WellsvilleWasatch-Cache National Forest1,717
Vermont (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Virginia (15)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
Mountain Lake Addition CJefferson National Forest494
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
Washington (2)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonOkanogan National Forest9,681
Goat Rocks AdjWenatchee National Forest6,108
West Virginia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Wisconsin (1)
AreaForestAcres
09164 - Tea LakeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest5,510
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
ReefShoshone National Forest16,817
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