Central American red-tailed hawk

The Central American red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis costaricensis) is a subspecies of red-tailed hawk resident from Nicaragua to Panama. This subspecies is relatively small. The wing chord of males can range from 368 to 391 mm (14.5 to 15.4 in), averaging 372.7 mm (14.67 in), and, in females, it ranges from 393 to 427 mm (15.5 to 16.8 in), averaging 401.9 mm (15.82 in). Additionally, males and females average 213.2 and 230 mm (8.39 and 9.06 in) in tail length, 88.6 and 86.9 mm (3.49 and 3.42 in) in tarsal length and 26 and 26.7 mm (1.02 and 1.05 in) in culmen length.[1][2][3] This race may average around 900 g (2.0 lb).[4] This subspecies is arguably the most handsomely colored in typical adult plumage. This subspecies is dark brown above and heavily pigmented dorsally, the white of the breast contrasting with a deep rufous abdominal band which contains black streaks and spots. Meanwhile, the flanks, wing linings and sides are an unbarred deep rufous. In some birds, the rich rufous color continues to the underside. The chest is much less heavily streaked than in northern migrants western red-tailed hawk (B. j. calurus) to Central America. Unlike other Central American races of red-tailed hawk, there seems to be no dark morph in this subspecies.[1][5][6]

Central American red-tailed hawk
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
Species:
B. jamaicensis
Subspecies:
B. j. costaricensis
Trinomial name
Buteo jamaicensis costaricensis
Ridgway, 1874

References
  1. Ferguson-Lees, J.; Christie, D. (2001). Raptors of the World. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-0-7136-8026-3.
  2. Preston, C. R. & Beane, R. D. (2009). "Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)". The Birds of North America. doi:10.2173/bna.52.
  3. Blake, E. R. (1977). Manual of Neotropical Birds (Vol. 1). University of Chicago Press.
  4. Stiles, F. G. & Skutch, A. F. (1989). Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Comistock.
  5. Palmer, R. S. ed. (1988). Handbook of North American Birds. Volume 5 Diurnal Raptors (Part 2).
  6. Storer, R. W. (1962). "Variation in the Red-tailed Hawks of southern Mexico and Central America" [Variación de los gavilanes colirrojos del sur de México y Centroamérica]. The Condor. 64 (1): 77–78.


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