A feeding record of the Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus in itssouthern range

The Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus occurs from south USA through Central America, and south to northern Argentina and Chile (Thiollay 1994). This species is found to be uncommon, although widespread in large areas of South America (Robinson 1994, Manosa et al. 2003, Blendinger et al. 2004). Buteo brachyurus search for prey while soaring above the canopy, suddenly diving on prey (Ogden 1974, Robinson 1994). In the only long-term studycarried out with this species Ogden (1974) reports the Short-tailed Hawk as a specialist bird hunter: 95 birds were observed as prey in 98 feeding records in south Florida, USA.

Alexander V. Christianini, Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 13 (2):191-192