Black Hawk-Eagle

The black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus) is a slender; “pinched in” at the base, short, round, and very broad winged; long tailed bird found from C Mexico to W Ecuador, Bolivia, NE Argentina and SE Brazil. Feeds mostly of small mammals like squirrels, large lizards and snakes and birds up to the size of toucans.

68cm (27”), 1kg. Black, with fully feathered legs. Feathers on the bushy occipital crest with white bases; remiges below gray banded with black; tail black with three white bands and its coverts are barred with white; legs and wing-linings also barred with white. Iris and feet yellow; cere blackish. Young: head and breasts white; dusky strikes and brown wash on chest and sides of breasts; back underparts barred with black and white; dark bands on flight feathers below finer than on adult. Takes 2-3 years to full adult plumage.