Ridgway's Hawk

Overview

Ridgway's hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, endemic to the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, though its population is currently increasing due to conservation efforts.

Identification

• Medium-sized and compact, measuring 36–41 cm in length.
• Brown-grey upperparts and greyish barred underparts with a reddish-brown wash and rufous-tinged thighs.
• Black-and-white barred tail.
• Males appear more grey than females, with yellow legs and the base of the bill.

Habitat

Originally found across all of Hispaniola and adjacent isles, its range has severely contracted due to deforestation. Surviving populations in the Dominican Republic are found in Los Haitises National Park and the Samaná Peninsula, with recent discoveries of breeding populations on the islands of Les Cayemites in Haiti.

Diet

As an apex predator, it feeds on rodents, bats, centipedes, birds, anoles, skinks, frogs, and snakes. Reptiles comprise up to 90% of its diet, while poultry is considered only a minor element despite local persecution by farmers.

Did you know?

Local farmers have persecuted the species by claiming it preys on domestic fowl, yet conservationists have demonstrated that poultry is merely a minor part of its diet, with reptiles making up the vast majority of its intake.