Harris's Hawk
(Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi)
While exploring the Texas landscape west of San Antonio, my daughter spotted this beauty. She's not a birder, but she has the eye! Even from a distance, and traveling 65 mph, she was able to tell that this bird was different enough from the hundreds of Red-tail Hawks that dotted the trees along the roadways, to warrant turning around to take a better look.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI82UC4mjW8HTbaqy4_tBNp9F8JT6IdL4k0y74jbq1Hjkvd0J3_qr_h22ceg534uk5vrpkaP6QrmrG7P7ah36gFuo3VaNWbNggkYDwsoQuIQzDjacZqYap6dYhY_7z-6dFFdJ3K-X7hmg/s320/para_unic_AllAm_map.gif)
I find it most interesting that the the Harris's Hawk are such social birds. They live and hunt in family groups consisting of sometimes up to ten individuals, but most regularly 2 - 6. How smart is that? This gives them the opportunity to snag a jack rabbit once in awhile, a welcome break from snakes, lizards, and large insects! Another most interesting fact is that the female can be up to 40% larger than the male. This phenomenon is called reverse sexual dimorphism. I think, but I'm not sure, that this allows the female to protect herself and her nest and family while her mate is away to ensure survival of the species. Just a guess.
Although it's population is declining in the US, the Harris's Hawk was on the 2002 Watchlist, but is not on the 2007 Watchlist. For more information, go to: http://audubon2.org/watchlist/viewSpecies.jsp?id=106