Scientific Name: Parubuteo unicinctus

Residency: Year-round in southern Arizona.

Diet: Birds, snakes, lizards, large insects, and small mammals like rabbits and rodents.

Predators: Predators of the young include Coyotes and Common Ravens, while Great Horned Owls predate both the young and the adults of this species.

Nesting: The nest is a platform made out of small sticks; it is usually found in a yucca, mesquite, or low tree. Three to five whitish eggs are laid. One to two broods per year.

Nesting Records: Brown's Ranch.

Notes: Threats to the successful survival of the Harris?s Hawk largely include habitat loss and degradation due to brush/mesquite control and urban and oil and gas development. Hunting and off-road vehicle use near nest sites have been linked to adult hawks abandoning their young and/or eggs, and some deaths among this species have been attributed to electrocution in areas containing high densities of telephone wires, along with deaths due to illegal trappings/shootings. Population numbers in certain areas of its range have plummeted in the last few decades.

Photo: Photo at right was taken at Scottsdale Community College on September 16, 2004. For more photos, click on camera icon.