Nombre en español: Gavilán Gris

Nombre en ingles: Semiplumbeous Hawk

Nombre científico: Leucopternis semiplumbeus

Familia: Accipitridae

Canto: Andrew Spencer

El busardo semiplomizo (Leucopternis semiplumbeus) también conocido como gavilán pecho blanco, gavilán gris o gavilán dorsigris, es una especie de ave falconiforme de la familia Accipitridae. Se distribuye a través de Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras y Panamá. Habita en bosques húmedos de tierras bajas.

Descripción

El busardo semiplomizo es un ave de tamaño pequeño, con un promedio de entre 12 y 13 pulgadas de longitud. Rara vez es visto en vuelo, estas aves suelen posarse en silencio en una rama alta esperando a su presa. El busardo semiplomizo a menudo sigue a los enjambres de hormigas con el fin de capturar pájaros hormigueros, que junto con otros pequeños pájaros cantores constituyen una gran parte de su dieta. La población total de esta especie es pequeña, estimada de 1000 a 10 000 aves maduras y en declive. No tiene subespeciesreconocidas.

Semiplumbeous hawk

The semiplumbeous hawk (Leucopternis semiplumbeus) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, and Panama. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Morphology

The semiplumbeous hawk is a small bird, averaging about 12–13 inches (30–33 cm) in length (approximately the size of a kestrel or merlin). The semiplumbeous hawk is easily identifiable due to its striking orange cere and black face mask. Rarely seen in flight, these hawks typically perch silently on a high branch, waiting for prey. The semiplumbeous hawk often follows swarms of army ants in order to capture antbirds, which, along with other small songbirds, make up a large portion of its diet. The overall population of semiplumbeous hawks is small – estimated at 1,000 to 10,000 mature birds – and declining.

The Semiplumbeous Hawk is restricted to humid forests in the tropical and subtropical zones the lowlands and foothills from Costa Rica south to the Choco biogeographic region of northwestern South American. It is a distinctly bicolored hawk, dark gray above with a white throat and underparts. In addition, this species has conspicuous yellow eyes and orange legs and cere. Typical of the genus Leucopternis, it is very poorly known, with virtually no information on its basic natural history. The limited dietary information available suggests that it feeds on lizards and snakes with a sit and wait strategy, much like other species of Leucopternis. Additionally, there are tantalizing records of birds ascribed to this species from western Amazonia, near Iquitos, Peru, which could well turn out to be new population of Semiplumbeous Hawk, or, perhaps, even an undescribed species.