Photo: www.naturespicsonline.com / Copyrighted free use (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tailed Hawk
Geranoaetus albicaudatus
White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) — Birds of Prey of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 885 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 Geranoaetus
- Species albicaudatus
Where it lives
Southwestern USA to central Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 885 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-tailed Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The White-tailed Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA sw USA to c Argentina.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 885 g, with a wing length of about 42.7 cm and a tail of around 19.9 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 9.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tailed Hawk?
The White-tailed Hawk is a large bird that weighs around 885 g.
Where does the White-tailed Hawk live?
The White-tailed Hawk is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA sw USA to c Argentina, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the White-tailed Hawk belong to?
The White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the White-tailed Hawk eat?
The White-tailed Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the White-tailed Hawk migrate?
The White-tailed Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-tailed 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 White-tailed Hawk make?
1 real field recording of the White-tailed Hawk — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-tailed Hawk's range?
The White-tailed Hawk has a mapped global range of about 9.5 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.