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Class Aves
Order Accipitriformes
Family Accipitridae

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Buteo albonotatus—Zone-tailed Hawk // Buteo jamaicensis—Red-tailed Hawk // Buteo lagopus—Rough-legged Hawk // Buteo lineatus—Red-shouldered Hawk // Buteo nitidus—Gray Hawk // Buteo regalis—Ferruginous Hawk // Buteo swainsoni—Swainson's Hawk

Buteo sp.—Buteo HawksDistribution of regional fossil Buteo sp.

In general, buteo hawks are geographically widespread and also are migratory. Ecologically, there is little information content regarding habitat in the occurrence of any particular species.

Sites.

Irvingtonian: El Golfo (Croxen et al. 2007).

Early/Early-Mid Wisconsin: Rm Vanishing Floor (Harris 1993c: cf.).

Mid Wisconsin: Devil Peak (Reynolds, Reynolds, and Bell 1991).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Sandblast Cave (Emslie 1988).

Late Wisconsin: Charlies Parlor (Harris 1989); TT II (Harris 1993c); U-Bar Cave 13-14 ka (Harris 1989: ?)

Literature. Croxen et al. 2007; Emslie 1988; Harris 1989, 1993c; Reynolds, Reynolds, and Bell 1991.

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Buteo albonotatus Kaup 1847—Zone-tailed HawkDistribution of regional fossil Buteo albonotatus

The current distribution is largely southern and eastern in our region, and it appears to normally leave the area during the winter. In summer, it tends to inhabit riparian or high mountain forest (Ligon 1961).

Sites.

Mid Wisconsin-Holocene: Shelter Cave (Howard and Miller 1933: ?).

Literature. Howard and Miller 1933; Ligon 1961.

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Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin 1788)—Red-tailed HawkRegional Pleistocene distribution of Buteo jamaicensis

Buteo jamaicensis, photograph by Beth Jackson, US Fish and Wildlife ServiceFig. 1. Buteo jamaicensis. Photograph by Beth Jackson, courtesy of the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

This common hawk today is found throughout the region in both summer and winter, with the winter populations the larger. Presence apparently requires trees, but they are otherwise unlimited ecologically (Ligon 1961).

Sites.

?Late Irvingtonian/Rancholabrean: Emery Borrow Pit (Jefferson 1991a).

Rancholabrean: Antelope Cave (Jefferson 2014).

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Mid Wisconsin: McKittrick (Jefferson 1991a).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Dark Canyon Cave (Howard 1971); NW Talus Slope (Harris 1993c; cf.); Rampart Cave (Carpenter 2003: cf. gen. et sp.); Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992); San Miguel Island (Guthrie 1998).

Mid Wisconsin-Holocene: Shelter Cave (Howard and Miller 1933).

Late Wisconsin: Animal Fair 18-20 ka (Harris 1989: cf.); Antelope Cave (Reynolds, Reynolds, Bell, and Pitzer 1991: cf.); Blackwater Draw Fauna (Morgan and Lucas 2005); Maricopa (Jefferson 1991a).

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Conkling Cavern (Conkling 1932); Howell's Ridge Cave (Howard 1962: cf.); Kokoweef Cave (Reynolds, Reynolds, et al. 1991: cf.); Newberry Cave (Jefferson 1991a); Schuiling Cave (Jefferson 1991a); Stanton's Cave (Rea and Hargrave 1984).

Literature. Carpenter 2003; Conkling 1932; Guthrie 1998, 2009; Harris 1989, 1993c, 2003; Howard 1962; Howard 1971; Howard and Miller 1933; Jefferson 1991a; Ligon 1961; Morgan and Lucas 2005; Rea and Hargrave 1984; Reynolds, Reynolds, et al. 1991; Reynolds, Reynolds, Bell, and Pitzer 1991; Stock and Harris 1992.

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Buteo lagopus (Pontoppidan 1763)—Rough-legged HawkDistribution of regional fossil Buteo lagopus

This is a bird that breeds far north of our region, but winters in the region.

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009: cf.).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Dark Canyon Cave (Howard 1971); Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Literature. Guthrie 2009; Howard 1971; Stock and Harris 1992.

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Buteo lineatus (Gmelin 1788)—Red-shouldered HawkDistribution of regional Pleistocene Buteo lineatus

Buteo lineaatus, photograph by Lee Karney, US Fish and Wildlife ServiceFig. 1. Buteo lineatus. Photograph by Lee Karney, courtesy of the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Brasso and Emslie (2006) considered the Sandia Cave record to be extralimital. They noted the current range as eastern and coastal western, with individuals apparently moving more inland from the west in recent years. Wooded and riparian habitats appear to be inhabited.

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Late Wisconsin: Sandia Cave (Brasso and Emslie 2006).

Literature. Brasso and Emslie 2006; Guthrie 2009.

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Buteo nitidus (Latham 1790)—Gray HawkDistribution of regional fossil Buteo nitidus

Currently, the Gray Hawk is limited to southeastern Arizona and the southwestern part of New Mexico in our region and appears to be rare. Ligon (1961) gave the preferred habitat as large cottonwood groves along stream bottoms.

Sites.

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Dark Canyon Cave (Howard 1971).

Literature. Howard 1971; Ligon 1961.

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Buteo regalis (Gray 1844)—Ferruginous HawkDistribution of regional Pleistocene Buteo regalis

This is a large hawk, characterized by Ligon (1961) as being next to the eagles in size. Apparently prairie dogs formed a major portion of its diet before control measures severely diminished the numbers of the rodents.

Sites.

Wisconsin: Carpinteria (Guthrie 2009).

Mid Wisconsin: McKittrick (Jefferson 1991a).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Late Wisconsin: Blackwater Draw Fauna (Morgan and Lucas 2005).

Literature. Guthrie 2009; Jefferson 1991a; Ligon 1961; Morgan and Lucas 2005.

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Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte 1838—Swainson's HawkRegional Pleistocene distribution of Buteo swainsoni

Swainson's Hawk is a summer resident of the region, primarily in open or partially wooded habitats. During migration, they have reached large numbers, especially where concentrations of grasshoppers occurred. Ligon (1961) mentions concentrations of 1000 or more under those circumstances.

The wide geographic range of Swainson's Hawk at one season or another, from Canada in summer to Argentina in winter, indicates that they would be present under almost any climatic/ecologic condition except the presence of heavy forest.

Sites.

Mid Wisconsin: McKittrick (Jefferson 1991a); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003: cf.).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Pit N&W Animal Fair (Harris 1993c); Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Mid Wisconsin-Holocene: Shelter Cave (Howard and Miller 1933).

Late Wisconsin: Camel Room (Harris 1993c: cf.); Maricopa (Jefferson 1991a).

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Burnet Cave (Wetmore 1932); Conkling Cavern (Howard and Miller 1933); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003: cf.).

Literature. Harris 1993c, 2003; Howard and Miller 1933; Jefferson 1991a; Ligon 1961; Stock and Harris 1992; Wetmore 1932.

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Last Update: 15 Feb 2016