Short-tailed Hawk
ExploreBirds
Short-tailed Hawk
Buteo brachyurus
The Short-tailed Hawk is a beautiful bird with a short tail and strong wings. It loves to soar high in the sky and can be seen gliding over forests and fields.
Habitat: Forests
Appearance
The Short-tailed Hawk is a medium-sized raptor with two main color forms: a dark morph that is almost entirely dark brown, and a light morph with white underparts and dark upperparts. Both morphs have a distinctive banded tail with a wide dark band near the tip.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderAccipitriformesFamilyAccipitridaeGenusButeo
Category
BirdsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Some Short-tailed Hawks have light feathers, while others are almost completely dark!
These clever birds catch most of their food while diving from hundreds of feet up!
They're expert fliers, often hunting by soaring so high they look like tiny dots!
Unlike many raptors, they often hunt small, fast-moving birds right out of the air!
Special abilities
Ability
Sky Scanner
Short-tailed Hawk has incredibly sharp eyesight that helps them spot tiny prey from very high up in the sky.
Ability
Dive Bomb
Short-tailed Hawk can fold its wings and dive rapidly to catch unsuspecting prey with amazing speed and precision.
Ability
Thermal Rider
Short-tailed Hawk uses warm air currents to soar effortlessly for hours, saving energy while searching for food.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 36-46 cm
- Wingspan
- 86-102 cm
- Weight
- 0.4-0.65 kg
- Lifespan
- 10-15 years
- Top Speed
- 120 km/h
- Clutch Size
- 2-3
- Incubation
- 33-36 days
Diet & Feeding
These agile raptors mainly hunt small birds and rodents by diving swiftly from high in the sky.
Primary Foods
- Small Passerine Birds
- Mice
- Volves
- Lizards
- Large Insects
Foraging Method
- Pursuit
Ecological connections
hunts
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
A favorite prey bird, often caught mid-flight.
hunts
Cotton Mouse
Peromyscus gossypinus
Hunts these common rodents in open woodland areas.
eaten by
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Owls may prey on eggs or young in the nest.
Traits
Feathered
Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.
Aerial
Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Gliding
Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Carnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Speedster
This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Always watch birds from a distance and never try to touch them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Short-tailed Hawk?
36-46 cm
What is Short-tailed Hawk's wingspan?
86-102 cm
How much does Short-tailed Hawk weigh?
0.4-0.65 kg
How long does Short-tailed Hawk live?
10-15 years
How fast can Short-tailed Hawk move?
120 km/h
What does Short-tailed Hawk eat?
These agile raptors mainly hunt small birds and rodents by diving swiftly from high in the sky.
Where is Short-tailed Hawk usually found?
Forests
How does Short-tailed Hawk hunt?
Pursuit
Snap Map
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