Listen to the Variable hawk
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the Variable hawk
The Variable hawk is a bird in the family Accipitridae (order Accipitriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults have a wingspan of about 124 cm.
What does the Variable hawk sound like?
Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once. Songs tend to be long and patterned and are used to hold territory and attract a mate; calls are short signals for contact, alarm and flight.
The recordings here are labelled as alarm call. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The variable hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma) is a polymorphic species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
It is widespread and often common in open habitats in western and southern South America, including the Falkland Islands. Its taxonomy is disputed, with some splitting it into the widespread red-backed hawk (G. polyosoma) and the Puna hawk or Gurney's hawk (G. poecilochrous) of the central and north Andean highlands, but the differences between the two are unclear. Most recent authorities have supported the lumping together of the two hawks although the issue still is controversial. On the contrary, the rare taxon from the Juan Fernández Islands is relatively distinctive, and possibly worthy of species recognition as the Juan Fernández hawk (B. exsul). In this article and most current accounts, the three races are regarded as subspecies.
Related birds in the genus Geranoaetus
More from the family Accipitridae
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Eurasian sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Eurasian goshawk
Astur gentilis
Black kite
Milvus migrans
Common buzzard
Buteo buteo
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Eurasian griffon vulture
Gyps fulvus
Red kite
Milvus milvus
Hen harrier
Circus cyaneus
Short-toed snake eagle
Circaetus gallicus
Booted eagle
Hieraaetus pennatus
Frequently asked questions
What does a Variable hawk sound like?
You can hear 2 recordings of the Variable hawk on this page, including its alarm call. Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once.
Is the Variable hawk endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Variable hawk as “least concern”.
What family does the Variable hawk belong to?
The Variable hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma) belongs to the family Accipitridae in the order Accipitriformes.
Sources & credits
- Buteo polyosoma - Variable Hawk by Niels Krabbe – CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Alarm call · Salta: Finca El Candado, Argentina by Niels Krabbe – CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q1576679 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Variable hawk – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by HowardB – CC BY-SA 3.0