Swainson's Hawk | ||||||||||||||
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Scientific Classification | ||||||||||||||
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Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
Buteo swainsoni |
The Swainson's Hawk, Buteo swainsoni, is a large hawk.
Adults have long broad wings with dark flight feathers. They have a dark brown back and upper wing. There are two main colour variations:
These birds are long distance migrants, wintering in Argentina.
These birds patrol open areas or scan for prey from a perch; they may also catch insects in flight. They take advantage of insects turned up by farm equipment or driven out by fire. They mainly eat small mammals, reptiles and large insects, sometimes small birds.
This bird was named after William Swainson, a British naturalist. In flight, they hold their wings in a slight dihedral; they tip back and forth slightly while soaring.
They are declining in some parts of their range due to loss of habitat.