Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Savanna Hawk
Buteogallus meridionalis
Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) — Birds of Prey of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 808 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 Buteogallus
- Species meridionalis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 808 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Savanna Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Savanna Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Panama to n Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 808 g, with a wing length of about 41.6 cm and a tail of around 21.7 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 Savanna Hawk?
The Savanna Hawk is a large bird that weighs around 808 g.
Where does the Savanna Hawk live?
The Savanna Hawk is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Panama to n Argentina, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Savanna Hawk belong to?
The Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Savanna Hawk eat?
The Savanna Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Savanna Hawk migrate?
The Savanna Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Savanna 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 Savanna Hawk make?
1 real field recording of the Savanna Hawk — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Savanna Hawk's range?
The Savanna 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.
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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.