About the Broad-winged Hawk
The broad-winged hawk is a medium-sized hawk of the genus Buteo. During the summer, some subspecies are distributed over eastern North America, as far west as British Columbia and Texas; they then migrate south to winter in the Neotropics from Mexico south to southern Brazil. Other subspecies are all-year residents on Caribbean islands. As in most raptors, females are slightly larger than males. Broad-winged hawks' wings are relatively short and broad with a tapered, somewhat pointed appearance. The two types of coloration are a dark morph with fewer white areas and a light morph that is more pale overall. Although the broad-winged hawk's overall population is increasing, populations are declining in some parts of its breeding range because of forest fragmentation.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Hawks, Eagles, and Kites (Accipitridae) |
| Species | Buteo platypterus |
| Species Codes | brwhaw, BWHA |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Broad-winged Hawk belong to?
The Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) belongs to the Hawks, Eagles, and Kites family (Accipitridae), in the order Accipitriformes.
How can I identify the Broad-winged Hawk?
The broad-winged hawk is a medium-sized hawk of the genus Buteo. During the summer, some subspecies are distributed over eastern North America, as far west as British Columbia and Texas; they then migrate south to winter in the Neotropics from Mexico south to southern Brazil. Other subspecies are al...
Where can I report a Broad-winged Hawk sighting?
You can log sightings of Broad-winged Hawk on eBird (ebird.org) using species code brwhaw, or on iNaturalist.