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COMMON BLACK HAWK  Buteogallus anthracinus 46–53cm, WS 109–

127cm. Fairly large, heavily built hawk of marshes, mangroves, forested and

semi-open areas near water. Perches on roadside wires, bare snags overlooking

water; can be very confiding. Plunges feet first to snatch fish; runs on beaches

and mudflats hunting crabs. Soars regularly, mainly in mid–late morning,

wings flattish, tail spread. Note broad wings, short tail (appreciably longer on

juv.), long yellow legs. Adult has single white tail band, often shows whitish

patch across base of outer primaries. Main confusion risk is Great Black Hawk

(see that species for details). Also cf. perched adult Zone-tailed Hawk; plumage

of juv. Gray and Gray-lined Hawks suggests juv. Common Black but note structure. Attains adult

appearance in 2nd year. Some adults have underside of flight feathers washed rusty. SOUNDS: Often calls

when soaring and in display. Varied series of loud ringing whistles, often intensifying and then fading

quickly: yih yih yih yeep Yeep YEEP YEEP yeep yih-yih-yih and variations. STATUS: Fairly common in coastal

lowlands, especially Pacific mangroves; uncommon and local inland to 750m. (Mexico and sw. US to n.

S America.)

GREAT BLACK HAWK  Buteogallus urubitinga 51–61cm, WS 120–137cm.

Large, broad-winged hawk of forested and semi-open areas, marshes,

mangroves. Habits much like Common Black Hawk but rarely seen on ground,

less confiding. Soars with wings flattish, tail rarely spread widely, and often

dangles long legs. Slightly rangier, less compact than Common, with longer

neck, appreciably longer legs, and longer tail that projects noticeably past tail

tip on perched birds (especially juv.); also note voice. Adult Great has less

extensive, often duller yellow at base of bill, coarse white barring on thighs. In

flight, wings of adult Great bulge less strongly on secondaries, feet project past

white tail band; 2nd white tail band of Great hard to see from below but obvious from above, when can

appear as a white tail split by a black band. Juv. Great has paler head than Common, without thick dark

mustache, longer tail has numerous narrow dark bars, broad dark distal band, vs. fewer and broader dark

bars of Common; uppertail coverts mostly white (mostly dark on Common). 2nd-year Great Black

resembles juv. but can show dark mustache and has coarse tail bars, suggesting Common; note structural

differences, mostly white uppertail coverts. Attains adult appearance in 3rd year. Also cf. Crane Hawk.

SOUNDS: High, piercing, drawn-out wailing whistle, perched and in flight from both adult and juv., 2–5

secs. ‘Song’ given in flight carries well: short, overslurred piping whistles in prolonged rapid series, whi’

pih-pih-pih.…STATUS: Uncommon on both slopes, locally to 1800m. (Mexico to S America.)

[SOLITARY EAGLE]  Buteogallus solitarius 64–79cm, WS 152–188cm. No unequivocally documented

record from Costa Rica, and perhaps does not occur in the country. Included here to facilitate confirmation

of potential occurrence. Very large hawk of humid forest and edge, most likely in foothills. Soars mainly

in mid–late morning. Adult from smaller Common Black Hawk (which can appear disconcertingly large

thanks to its shape and slow wingbeats) by paler, slaty-gray plumage, relatively shorter tail, and thicker

legs; in flight, toes project almost to tail tip, vs. projecting just into white tail band on Common Black. Juv.

has distinctive plumage, with large dark patches at sides of breast, dark thighs, and overall plain underside

to flight feathers, with no distinct tail bars. 2nd-year resembles adult but browner overall, with sparse buff

streaks on head, body, underwing coverts; tail pattern like adult but broad median band pale gray, not

white. Probably attains adult appearance in 3rd year. Also cf. Great Black Hawk. SOUNDS: Melancholy

drawn-out whistle, 1–2 secs, lower and less piercing than Great Black Hawk. In flight, powerful whistled

screams in slightly speeding and slowing series, whieh-whieh..., cadence reminiscent of Common Black

Hawk but notes stronger, lower-pitched. STATUS: Uncertain. Has been reported from Caribbean slope and

s. Pacific slope, mainly in foothills. (Mexico locally to S America.)