Black Hawk Eagle

Photo copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Ubatuba, Nov 2009

Bird name: Black Hawk Eagle
Latin: Spizaetus tyrannus
Other: Tyrant Hawk-Eagle • Gavião-pega-macaco (Br)
Family: Accipitridae • Hawk Eagles

Pretty certain this was a Black Hawk-Eagle, flying fast towards trees not far from the beach - seen early one morning in Ubatuba, Brazil. The Black Hawk-Eagle is found from northern Argentina to Mexico.

This Black Hawk-Eagle was identified by the strongly barred black and white underside and tail. He seemed to be carrying something in his yellow talons. The Black Hawk-eagle is known as Gavião-pega-macaco in Brazil, in other words, the Catch-a-monkey Hawk !