Harris Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)





English and Scientific Name: Harris Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Observation:  The Harris Hawk in this picture is a brown color and I never even thought about a hawk being brown when I’ve seen them on television they’ve been bigger and lighter.  In hindsight they could be this size maybe seeing it on television could’ve caused an illusion.  I thought it was interesting that on the beak of the bird there is a spot of white and if you closely underneath you see a spot of white.    

Questions:

1.      Does the white on the bird help to distinguish it from others?

2.      Does the hawk migrate?

3.      How does feeding occur?

Scientific Research:

Bednarz, James and Ligon, David, J.  A Study of the Ecological Bases of Cooperative Breeding in the  Harris' Hawk, Ecology, Vol. 69, No. 4 (Aug., 1988), pp. 1176-1187.  Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1941272

How does feeding Occur?

Most birds breed individually but according to James Bednarz and J. David Ligon the Harris Hawk does what is called “Cooperative Breeding.”  This happens because the hawk depends on large elusive prey.  Additionally the hawk, travel like wolves and wild hunting dogs social systems based on 1) extended parental care, where young birds remain with older group members during their first year or years and 2) cooperation, where group hunting and prey-sharing provide a critical advantage to each individual (Bednarz, Ligon, 1988). 

Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris%27s_Hawk
http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/explore-raptors-2001/hawks/harrishk.html
http://www.parahawkusa.com/About_Harris_Hawks.html
http://www.raptorcenter.org/harris-hawk.asp