August’s Bird of the Month is the Broad-winged Hawk, and here is the article in the upcoming August 2018 Kite written by Clive and Celecia Pinnock.

August Bird of the Month – Broad-winged Hawk

By Clive & Celecia Pinnock

The Broad-winged Hawk ((Buteo platypterus)) is the smallest of the group of raptors (Birds of Prey) that belong to the genus Buteo. This genus contains all of the daytime, or diurnal, hunting hawks, the Harris Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) being the only exception.

Broad-winged Hawks have two color morphs, light and dark, the latter of which is the rarest. They are 15” in length with a wingspan of 34” and an average weight of 14 oz. As is the case with most raptors, the female is larger than the male. Unlike most other Buteos, which are characterized by their broad wings with rounded wingtips, Broad-winged Hawks have broad wings with noticeably pointed wingtips.

The typical color patterns of the more common light phase morph are solidly brown above with mottled underparts varying from coarsely barred brown and white to finely barred rufous and white. The black and white tail bands are prominent even from a distance. Juveniles are generally described as having a black moustachial streak, which is also seen in the adults, dark- bordered underwings and indistinct bands on the tail.

During the breeding season this raptor inhabits the deciduous or mixed forests of eastern North America and southern Canada. They usually nest near forest openings and bodies of water far from human disturbance. Here, their diet consists of small mammals (rodents), amphibians (frogs and toads) and insects (grasshoppers, bugs, ants, and crickets).

Although Broad-winged Hawks interact only with their mates during the breeding season, during fall and spring migration they form large flocks, often mixing with other raptors. These flocks can sometimes number in the tens of thousands. Although the majority of the Broad-winged Hawk population winters in the forest and forest edges from southern Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia, many juvenile birds spend their winters in Florida, especially in the Florida Keys.

Photographers – please note that next month’s September bird of the month is the
Peregrine Falcon.

Please check out the picture by Lester Shalloway in the August KITE cover and to see the slide show of the entire virtual gallery this month, along with photographer etc  — click on BOM SLIDE SHOW below the pictures displayed here:

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BOM SLIDE SHOW – August 2018 Bird of the Month – Broad-winged Hawk