Roadside Hawk ( Rupornis magnirostris )
- Sent by Rodrigo Girardi Santiago - 05/02/2007
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36 cm. The legs and the beak are yellow. The tail is short and the wings are broad, with a somewhat rectangular shape when flying. The chest is light brown streaked in different colors and the upper parts are in shades of gray. The immature is brown and striated. The female is slightly larger than the male.
Distribution:
From Mexico to Argentina.
Habitat:
Inhabits cerrado, gallery and secondary forests, fields, farms and cities.
Diet:
Big insects, amphibians, small lizards , mammals and birds. Sometimes hunts perched bats. May follow groups of coatis or monkeys, catching animals displaced by their movements.
Reproduction:
The nest is a platform built on the top of tall trees. It is made of sticks and lined with dry leaves. The eggs (one or two) are incubated by the female. The male feeds both female and offspring.
It is one of the commonest hawks in Brazil. It is often seen in pairs flying in circles and vocalizing repeatedly in duets that are very noisy. When in cities perches on the top of buildings and feeds on pigeons and rodents.
