![]() Their breeding range extends into northern Scandinavia and as far east as Mongolia and their winter range extends as far south as the southern tip of Africa. Their resident range, where they spend most of their time, covers almost all of Europe. As with many types of raptor, the common buzzard’s range is split up into three parts. There are almost 30 species found within this genus including the common buzzard, the eastern buzzard, also known as the Japanese buzzard, and the Gray-lined hawk, which has a unique plumage. The members of this genus are also referred to as hawks in the new world but are known as buzzards elsewhere. Where true hawks are contained within a single subfamily, true buzzards are contained within a single genus, Buteo. Left: The Eurasian sparrowhawk | Kalina Georgieva / Shutterstock & Right: Pale Chanting Goshawk Otto du Plessis / Shutterstock In contrast to many other types of hawk, their plumage is a rich grey colour with a black tail and they come with matching orange beak and legs! One of the most unique species of hawk is the Pale Chanting Goshawk, found throughout much of Southern Africa. While we are not exactly sure why this happens, males are much smaller, weighing at most 196g (6.9oz) with females weighing close to double, topping out at around 342g (12oz). The Eurasian sparrowhawk is an excellent example of the reversed sexual dimorphism that occurs in many but not all raptors. Hawks are well-known for their manoeuvrability and will dart gracefully through dense vegetation to catch prey in the forests they inhabit. Being much smaller than eagles, hawks will consume a large amount of invertebrates and prey on small mammals, reptiles and other birds ranging from hummingbirds, preyed up upon by the tiny hawk, to larger birds such as grouse preyed upon by goshawks (Northern Goshawk). Although the term hawk is often used much more broadly, true hawks are all contained within the Accipitrinae subfamily where two types of hawk make up the majority of species, goshawks and sparrowhawks. Along with eagles, they are part of the Accipitridae family, as well as buzzards, kites, harriers and old-world vultures all of which we’ll discuss in the following chapters. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | Paul Reeves Photography / ShutterstockĪll birds of prey have excellent eyesight but hawks, in particular, have a visual acuity around 8 times that of a human being. Left: Bald Eagle in Alaska | Ludo KOOS / Shutterstock & Right: Adult Bald Eagle standing guard over two chicks, St. Petersburg, Florida measuring almost 10 feet in diameter, 20 feet in depth and weighing almost 3 tons. These nests can be gigantic with the largest structure ever recorded in St. One of their most interesting traits is their nest building, which usually begins around 1-3 months before mating season. They exhibit an iconic white head and tail and a dark brown body. Left: Steller’s Sea Eagle, Hokkaido, Japan | Ondrej Prosicky / Shutterstock & Right: Steller’s Sea Eagle in Winter, Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan | Phubet Juntarungsee / ShutterstockĪnother type of sea eagle, the bald eagle is found in the same genus and has been a powerful symbol of American independence for well over 200 years. They are usually solitary but will congregate to breed or when the salmon are plentiful. Being sea eagles, they live on the coast and survive mostly on a diet of fish, particularly salmon. They breed further north and will spend the winters further south on Hokkaido and as far south as the Korean peninsula. They spend most of the year around the Kamchatka peninsula and mainland areas at the same latitude. They are found in far eastern Eurasia where they have a relatively small range. Collection of Fish EaglesĪmong the largest and heaviest of these birds (females weigh up to 9 kg / 19.8 lbs), the Steller’s sea eagle exhibits a particularly unique and thick plumage equipping them well for their frigid environment. Fish eagles, also known as sea eagles, are found in the subfamily Buteoninae along with many types of hawk and kite. Subfamilies include booted eagles (Aquilinae) such as the martial eagle, giant forest eagles (Harpiinae) such as the harpy eagle and snake eagles (Circaetinae), which includes the Philippine eagle and the endangered Bateleur, the national emblem of Zimbabwe. ![]() They are split between several subfamilies in the Accipitridae family and are some of the most striking members of the animal kingdom. Eagles are perhaps the most revered birds of prey.
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