| Gray Hawk is a fairly common resident of more open areas in Panama, and indeed throughout Middle America. In central Panama the most reliable location for this species has traditionally been at Summit Gardens, where Gray Hawks can often be found by tracking their clear, piercing call (click here for audio). I found this species to be fairly common in the disturbed areas around Punta Burica, Chiriquí, where I filmed the calling bird below in May of 2006. |
| While adult Gray Hawks are pretty much unmistakeable, quite the opposite is true of immature birds. My first audio recordings of this species were of an immature bird at Summit Gardens in July of 2005. That bird was much more mottled than illustrated in field guides, which do refer to the variability in this species' juvenille plumage. The bird pictured below was filmed at Punta Burica; I regret that I did not collect better footage, but I was distracted at the time by my life Fiery-billed Aracari. My recording does include a Gray Hawk calling nearby, so my best guess identifies the unusually-plumaged individual below as such. I cannot find any other species that's a possible match, but I may well have overlooked something. I welcome comments regarding the identity of this bird. |
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