Roadside Hawk

Rupornis magnirostris

This fierce but small raptor is a familiar sight across Latin American landscapes, where it perches confidently on roadside poles and fence posts to scan for prey.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Roadside Hawk is a compact raptor with a brown back, grey head, and barred chest. Its short, rounded wings show a distinctive rufous patch in flight, and its relatively long tail helps it manoeuvre through forest edges and open woodlands.

Adults have bright yellow legs and a yellow cere, while juveniles display a more streaked appearance with buffy underparts. There is little variation between sexes, but individuals may show slight regional colour differences. Females are also up to 17% larger than males.

Size

Length

33cm to 41cm

Wingspan

68cm to 79cm

Weight

250g to 300g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

White Rufous

Beak Colour

Yellow Black

Leg Colour

Yellow

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Roadside Hawk can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Roadside Hawk can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Roadside Hawk is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Roadside Hawk can be found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Roadside Hawks inhabit a wide range of habitats from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, including parts of the Caribbean. They thrive in open woodlands, forest edges, savannahs, and agricultural areas.

These adaptable raptors are also found in urban and suburban environments, particularly where green spaces are present. Their distribution remains relatively stable throughout the year, as they are non-migratory.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 3,000 meters

Climate zones

Tropical, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Roadside Hawk. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons