Buteo

Buteos are fairly large birds. Total length can vary from and wingspan can range from . The lightest known species is the roadside hawk, at an average of although the lesser known white-rumped and Ridgway's hawks are similarly small in average wingspan around , and average length around in standard measurements. The largest species in length and wingspan is the upland buzzard, which averages around in length and in wingspan. The upland is rivaled in weight and outsized in foot measurements and bill size by the ferruginous hawk. In both of these largest buteos, adults typically weigh over , and in mature females, can exceed a mass of . All buteos may be noted for their broad wings and sturdy builds. They frequently soar on thermals at midday over openings and are most frequently seen while doing this. The flight style varies based on the body type and wing shape and surface size. Some long-winged species, such as rough-legged buzzards and Swainson's hawks, have a floppy, buoyant flight style, while others, such as red-tailed hawks and rufous-tailed hawks, tend to be relatively shorter-winged, soaring more slowly and flying with more labored, deeper flaps. Buteos inhabit a wide range of habitats across the world, but tend to prefer some access to both clearings, which provide ideal hunting grounds, and trees, which can provide nesting locations and security. red-tailed and white-tailed hawks. Birds are taken occasionally, as well. Small to mid-sized birds, i.e. passerines, woodpeckers, waterfowl, pigeons, and gamebirds, are most often taken. However, since the adults of most smaller birds can successfully outmaneuver and evade buteos in flight, much avian prey is taken in the nestling or fledgling stages or adult birds if they are previously injured. The Hawaiian hawk, which evolved on an isolated group of islands with no terrestrial mammals, was also initially a bird specialist, although today it preys mainly on introduced rodents. Other prey may include snakes, lizards, frogs, salamanders, fish, and even various invertebrates, especially beetles. In several Buteo species found in more tropical regions, such as the grey-lined hawk, reptiles and amphibians may come to locally dominate the diet. Carrion is eaten occasionally by most species, but is almost always secondary to live prey. Most Buteo species seem to prefer to ambush prey by pouncing down to the ground directly from a perch. In a secondary approach, many spot prey from a great distance while soaring and circle down to the ground to snatch it. == Taxonomy and systematics ==

The genus Buteo was erected by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1799 by tautonymy with the specific name of the common buzzard Falco buteo which had been introduced by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Extant species in taxonomic order }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} Fossil record A number of fossil species have been discovered, mainly in North America. Some are placed here primarily based on considerations of biogeography, Buteo being somewhat hard to distinguish from Geranoaetus based on osteology alone: • †Buteo dondasi (Late Pliocene of Buenos Aires, Argentina) • †Buteo fluviaticus (Brule Middle? Oligocene of Wealt County, US) – possibly same as B. grangeri • †Buteo grangeri (Brule Middle? Oligocene of Washabaugh County, South Dakota, US) • †Buteo antecursor (Brule Late? Oligocene) • †?Buteo sp. (Brule Late Oligocene of Washington County, US) • †Buteo ales (Agate Fossil Beds Early Miocene of Sioux County, US) – formerly in Geranospiza or Geranoaetus • †Buteo typhoius (Olcott Early ?- snake Creek Late Miocene of Sioux County, US) • †Buteo pusillus (Middle Miocene of Grive-Saint-Alban, France) • †Buteo sp. (Middle Miocene of Grive-Saint-Alban, France – Early Pleistocene of Bacton, England) • †Buteo contortus (snake Creek Late Miocene of Sioux County, US) – formerly in Geranoaetus • †Buteo spassovi (Late Miocene of Chadžidimovo, Bulgaria) • †Buteo conterminus (snake Creek Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Sioux County, US) – formerly in Geranoaetus • †Buteo sp. (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lee Creek Mine, North Carolina, US) • †Buteo sanya (Late Pleistocene of Luobidang Cave, Hainan, China) • †Buteo chimborazoensis (Late Pleistocene of Ecuador) • †Buteo sanfelipensis (Late Pleistocene, Cuba) An unidentifiable accipitrid that occurred on Ibiza in the Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene may also have been a Buteo. If this is so, the bird can be expected to aid in untangling the complicated evolutionary history of the common buzzard group. The prehistoric species "Aquila" danana, Buteogallus fragilis (Fragile eagle), and Spizaetus grinnelli were at one time also placed in Buteo. ==Notes==