Gray-Lined Hawk (Buteo nitidus)

A Gray-Lined Hawk with it's prey (Giant Ameiva) in it's talons. This particular individual was spotted at the outside of the Caroni Bird Sanctuary, a long time nature reserve, which has now been infested with feral cats.

comments (5)

Christine Young

Lion

Gorgeous bird! Feral cats?! How did that happen -- do you know? Were they just attracted to the birds? Posted 4 years ago
1. Wesley Goorachan
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Christine!
  The cats were initially peoples' pets and a couple years ago they were released, in the wildlife reserve. Eventually they kept multiplying and became feral over the years, and are a threat to the biodiversity of the area as the only ape predators in the sanctuary really are the Spectacled Caiman, the various snakes such as Anaconda and Cook's Tree Boa, as well as our only natural wildcat, the Ocelot. People also leave food for the cats in the bird sanctuary which greater helps them to survive. Fun fact, The Caroni Bird Sanctuary is the largest roosting ground of the Scarlet Ibis, the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago. When I entered a couple days ago, around thirty feral cats greeted me at the side of the road lol Posted 4 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    That's insane! They can be so devastating to wildlife. We keep our cats indoors to protect them from local wildlife. We have coyotes, fox, and bobcats that would easily make a meal out of them. But, we also don't want our cats to feast on wildlife.
    
    Nice about the Scarlet Ibis! Those are such gorgeous bids! Posted 4 years ago

Calbost Niel

Lion

We have major problems with feral cats in Australia. Great shot Wesley Posted 4 years ago
1. Wesley Goorachan
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Niel! I've actually heard that feral animals are a huge problem in Australia, along with the invasive Cane Toad Posted 4 years ago

The Gray Lined Hawk

The gray-lined hawk is a smallish raptor found in open country and forest edges. It is sometimes placed in the genus ''Asturina'' as ''Asturina nitida''. The species has been split by the American Ornithological Society from the gray hawk. The gray-lined hawk is found from El Salvador to Argentina, as well as on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.

Info 2 0

Similar species: Diurnal Birds Of Prey

Species identified by Wesley Goorachan