Crane hawk

Crane Hawk
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Superorder	Passerimorphae
Order	Accipitriformes
Infraorder	Falconides
Family Information
Family	Accipitridae
Sub-family	Perninae
Genus Information
Genus	Geranospiza
Species Information
Species	G. caerulescens
Population statistics
Conservation status	Least concern

Crane hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens) is a species of harrier found in much of Latin America.

Description

A medium-sized raptor, the crane hawk is characterized by long slender legs which appear double-jointed; the legs are used to probe and capture prey animals within cavities and holes.

Crane hawks are generally gray-to-dark gray overall, with a pair of thick white bands on the tail, and a white half-moon crescent pattern on the base of the primary flight feathers.

Subspecies

• Geranospiza caerulescens balzarensis

Panama to western Colombia, Ecuador and northwestern Peru

• Geranospiza caerulescens caerulescens

Eastern Colombia and Peru, east to northern Brazil and the Guianas

• Geranospiza caerulescens flexipes

Southern Brazil to Bolivia, northern Argentina and the Paraguayan chacos

• Geranospiza caerulescens gracilis

Northestern Brazil

• Geranospiza caerulescens livens

Northwestern Mexico

• Geranospiza caerulescens nigra

Northern Mexico south to central Panama