Harris's Hawk — Species Information

Species common name
Harris's hawk
Latin name
Parabuteo unicinctus
Order, family
Accipitridae, Falconiformes
Range, habitat
Southern Arizona, east to South Texas. All the way down through South America. Found in arid lowland and arid montane scrub, low seasonally wet grassland, tropical deciduous forest and urban areas of some cities.
Weight
600-1300 g
Wingspan
103-124 cm
Length
46-59 cm
Lifespan
Wild, 8-10; captivity 25-35
Clutch, nest
2-6, cup shaped nest in top fork of large trees. Also uses saguaros.
Predators
Great horned owls may eat roosting adults or nestlings. Eagles may harass adults.
Prey
Diet is regionally specific; mostly small/medium mammals, medium birds, etc. Urban populations can be quite adept at catching pigeons.

Harris's Hawk by Mike Wilson
Harris's Hawk - © Mike Wilson

Harris's are one of only two truly cooperative hunters in the raptor world. They will live in pairs in the tropical areas, or places where prey is abundant; in areas like the Sonoran desert where prey has a lot of good cover, they have been documented in groups as large as 9 birds. They will act like 'wolves of the air', taking turns harrying a rabbit or squirrel, chasing it out of cover towards other family members, etc.

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“The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, just west of Tucson, is home to one of the most spectacular and accessible avian demonstrations in the U.S.”
-Joseph Cyr, AFAR, The Collaborative Travel Guide