Photo: Joao Quental / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-lined Hawk
Buteo nitidus
Grey-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus) — Birds of Prey of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 519 g. 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 Buteo
- Species nitidus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 519 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-lined Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey-lined Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus) 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 Costa Rica to nc Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 519 g, with a wing length of about 24.7 cm and a tail of around 17.1 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 10.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-lined Hawk?
The Grey-lined Hawk is a large bird that weighs around 519 g.
Where does the Grey-lined Hawk live?
The Grey-lined Hawk is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to nc Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Grey-lined Hawk belong to?
The Grey-lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Grey-lined Hawk eat?
The Grey-lined Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Grey-lined Hawk migrate?
The Grey-lined Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-lined Hawk 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 Grey-lined Hawk make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-lined Hawk — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Grey-lined Hawk's range?
The Grey-lined Hawk has a mapped global range of about 10.4 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.
Explore more birds
More in Accipitridae
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
More in Birds of Prey
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Endangered
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.