Harris’s Hawk, Parabuteo unicinictus

Harris’s Hawk, Parabuteo unicinictus. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Tom Bartol, Carlsbad, California, February 2019.

Harris’s Hawk, Parabuteo unicinictus. Birds photographed within the confines of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona, February, 2022. Photographs courtesy of Carol Snow, Del Mar, California.

Background and Identification

Harris’s Hawk, Parabuteo unicinictus, is a member of the Accipitridae Family of Eagles and Hawks. They are large in stature.

Habitat and Geographical Range

In Mexico they have a limited range being found in all coastal regions within the Atlantic Slope and the Pacific Slope in the northern parts of the country at elevations up to 1,900 m (6,200 feet).

They are found in the open desert lowlands among mesquite, organ pipe and saguaro cactus and in some savanna near wetland habitats requiring access to water for survival. They are found in high perches including cactus, trees, boulders, and power poles, that are utilized lookouts, feeding platforms, and for nesting. They hunt in small groups and consumes small birds, ducks, rabbits, reptiles and small rodents.

Common Misidentifications

Conservation Status

 From a conservation perspective the Harris Hawk is currently considered to be of Least Concern; however, their populations in the wild are believed to be in decline.