Laboratório de Tecnologia Educacional BIBLIOTECA DIGITAL               DE CIÊNCIAS

The general coloration is light brown, yellow in some parts. The wings are dark brown and there is a small black region behind the eye. The immature individuals have lighter shades of brown in the wings and the chest is streaked in white. Distribution: From southern Amazon to Rio Grande do Sul. Habitat: Open areas, cerrado, caatinga, farms and urban areas. Diet: Feeds on ticks, insects, carrion, small rodents, birds, snakes, lizards and even fishes. Reproduction: The nest is a platform built on the top of tall trees. Natural history: This hawk is associated with cattle because of its behavior of climbing on the back of the cattle in search for ticks and other ectoparasites. It ...

58 cm in length, 125cm of wingspan. The beak and the claws are weak for a bird of prey. The legs are tall and yellow. The upper parts are black and the chest and throat are white. There is a large white spot in the inferior side near the tip of the wing. The immature is brown and striated. Distribution: From Florida (U.S.A) to Tierra del Fuego. Habitat: Thrives in any open landscape, sometimes urban areas. Diet: It is generalist. Eats either live animals or carrion. Catches insects, snails, worms, lizards, snakes, birds. Follows tractors in crops looking for earthworms.. Sometimes eats fruits, peanuts and beans. Reproduction: Builds a big nest on the top of tall trees. Lays three ...