Slate-colored hawk
in Anavilhanas National Park, Amazonas, Brazil
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Buteogallus
Species:	B. schistaceus
Binomial name
Buteogallus schistaceus (Sundevall, 1850)
Synonyms
Leucopternis schistaceus

The slate-colored hawk (Buteogallus schistaceus) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae: the hawks, eagles, and allies. It is found in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and French Guiana.^[1]

Description

It is a medium-sized to large bird, typically about 40 cm (16 in) long. It is medium slate-grey in color, with contrasting bright white horizontal banding on its tail feathers. It has a medium-white breast with vertical black markings. It has a large orange cere at the base of its beak, and large yellow eyes.^[2]

Distribution and behavior

The slate-colored hawk inhabits most of the Amazon rainforest, primarily in várzea and especially in areas near water like rivers, swamps or mangrove. It hunts for frogs, snakes, small mammals, crabs and other small animals, often at the water edges.^[2]