Photo: Joseph Wolf / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Barred Hawk
Morphnarchus princeps
Barred Hawk (Morphnarchus princeps) — Birds of Prey of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Barred Hawk (Morphnarchus princeps) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 1000 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 Morphnarchus
- Species princeps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1000 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Barred 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 Barred Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Barred Hawk (Morphnarchus princeps) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to n Ecuador.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1000 g, with a wing length of about 36.5 cm and a tail of around 19.3 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 113,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Barred Hawk?
The Barred Hawk is a very large bird that weighs around 1000 g.
Where does the Barred Hawk live?
The Barred Hawk is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to n Ecuador, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Barred Hawk belong to?
The Barred Hawk (Morphnarchus princeps) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Barred Hawk eat?
The Barred Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Barred Hawk migrate?
The Barred Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Barred 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 Barred Hawk make?
1 real field recording of the Barred 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 Barred Hawk's range?
The Barred Hawk has a mapped global range of about 113,000 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.