Photo: http://www.birdphotos.com / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Hawk-Eagle
Spizaetus tyrannus
Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) — Birds of Prey of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Spizaetus
- Species tyrannus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Hawk-Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black Hawk-Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA c Mexico to ne Argentina.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1 kg, with a wing length of about 38.4 cm and a tail of around 33.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 8.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Hawk-Eagle?
The Black Hawk-Eagle is a very large bird that weighs around 1 kg.
Where does the Black Hawk-Eagle live?
The Black Hawk-Eagle is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA c Mexico to ne Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black Hawk-Eagle belong to?
The Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Black Hawk-Eagle eat?
The Black Hawk-Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Black Hawk-Eagle migrate?
The Black Hawk-Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black Hawk-Eagle endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black Hawk-Eagle make?
1 real field recording of the Black Hawk-Eagle — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Hawk-Eagle's range?
The Black Hawk-Eagle has a mapped global range of about 8.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.