Bird
Bird
White Hawk
Pseudastur albicollis
The White Hawk is a strikingly pale raptor of Trinidad's tall forest, its mostly white plumage making it one of the most visually distinctive birds of prey soaring above the canopy of the Northern Range and other forested areas.
The White Hawk is a strikingly pale raptor of Trinidad's tall forest, its mostly white plumage making it one of the most visually distinctive birds of prey soaring above the canopy of the Northern Range and other forested areas.
Identification
A large, broad-winged hawk around 45 to 53 cm long, almost entirely white on the head, underparts, and much of the upperparts, with black flight feathers and a black band near the tip of an otherwise white tail. In flight overhead its pale body contrasts sharply with dark wing tips, making it unmistakable against a forest backdrop.
Behaviour
Hunts within and along the edge of mature forest, often perching quietly on a mid-canopy branch to watch for snakes, lizards, frogs, and large insects before dropping onto prey. It is also frequently seen soaring high over the forest canopy on thermals, sometimes in pairs. Pairs are territorial and build a stick nest high in a large forest tree.
Status in T&T
Found in mature, tall forest across Trinidad, particularly in the Northern Range, where it is a characteristic though not especially common raptor of intact forest. Not considered threatened, though dependent on large tracts of undisturbed forest. It is protected as native wildlife under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
Threats
- Loss of large tracts of mature forest
