Photo: Stolz, Gary M / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Zone-tailed Hawk
Buteo albonotatus
Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus) — 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 Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 746 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 albonotatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 746 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Zone-tailed Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Zone-tailed Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA sw USA to Paraguay.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 746 g, with a wing length of about 39.8 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Zone-tailed Hawk?
The Zone-tailed Hawk is a large bird that weighs around 746 g.
Where does the Zone-tailed Hawk live?
The Zone-tailed Hawk is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA sw USA to Paraguay, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Zone-tailed Hawk belong to?
The Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Zone-tailed Hawk eat?
The Zone-tailed Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Zone-tailed Hawk migrate?
The Zone-tailed Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Zone-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 Zone-tailed Hawk make?
1 real field recording of the Zone-tailed 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 Zone-tailed Hawk's range?
The Zone-tailed Hawk has a mapped global range of about 7.2 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
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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.