Bird
Bird
Zone-tailed Hawk
Buteo albonotatus
The Zone-tailed Hawk is a dark raptor remarkable for its close resemblance to the Turkey Vulture, mimicking the vulture's silhouette, tilting flight, and dark plumage closely enough to approach unsuspecting prey while soaring among genuine vulture flocks.
The Zone-tailed Hawk is a dark raptor remarkable for its close resemblance to the Turkey Vulture, mimicking the vulture's silhouette, tilting flight, and dark plumage closely enough to approach unsuspecting prey while soaring among genuine vulture flocks.
Identification
A medium to large hawk around 46 to 56 cm long, almost entirely sooty black with a grey-banded tail showing one broad pale band. In flight it holds its wings in a shallow V and rocks unsteadily from side to side exactly like a Turkey Vulture, a resemblance reinforced by its similar size and dark colouring, making careful observation of the tail bands the most reliable way to distinguish the two in flight.
Behaviour
Soars for long periods over forest and forest edge, often mixed in with genuine Turkey Vulture flocks, using the resemblance to approach lizards, snakes, birds, and small mammals that have learned to ignore the harmless vultures overhead, a striking example of aggressive mimicry. It typically hunts alone despite associating with vulture kettles, dropping suddenly onto prey below.
Status in T&T
Present in forest and forest edge across Trinidad, generally uncommon and easily overlooked among the far more numerous Turkey Vultures it mimics. Not considered globally threatened. It is protected as native wildlife under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
