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The term 'hawk' refers to birds of prey in any of three senses:

★ In strict use in Europe and Asia, to mean any of the species in the bird sub-family Accipitrinae in the genera ''Accipiter'', ''Micronisus'', ''Melierax'', ''Urotriorchis'', and ''Megatriorchis''. The large and widespread ''Accipiter'' genus includes goshawks, sparrowhawks , the Sharp-shinned Hawk and others. They are mainly woodland birds that hunt by sudden dashes from a concealed perch. They usually have long tails and high visual acuity.

★ More generally, especially in North America, to mean small to medium-sized birds that are members of the Accipitridae, the family which includes the true hawks (Accipiters) and also eagles, kites, harriers, buzzards, and Old World vultures.

★ Loosely, to mean almost any bird of prey.
The common names of birds in various parts of the world often use ''hawk'' in the second sense. For example, in North America, the ''Buteos'' are called "hawks".
In February 2005 the Canadian scientist Dr. Louis Lefebvre announced a method of measuring avian IQ in terms of their innovation in feeding habits. Hawks were named among the most intelligent birds based on this scale.
Hawks are believed to have vision as good as 20/2, about eight times more acute than humans with good eyesight. This is because of many photoreceptors in the retina (Up to 1,000,000 per square mm, against 200,000 for humans), a very high number of nerves connecting the receptors to the brain, a second set of eye muscles not found in other animals, and an indented fovea, which magnifies the central part of the visual field.

Contents

Species list

Hawks and humans

External links

Species list

This list is in taxonomic order to show the relationships between species.

★ 'Subfamily Accipitrinae'

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★ 'Genus ''Accipiter'' '

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★ Goshawk, ''A. gentilis''

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★ Eurasian Sparrowhawk, ''A. nisus''

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★ Grey-bellied Goshawk, ''A. poliogaster''

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★ Crested Goshawk, ''A. trivirgatus''

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★ Sulawesi Goshawk, ''A. griseiceps''

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★ Red-chested Goshawk, ''A. toussenelii''

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★ African Goshawk, ''A. tachiro''

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★ Chinese Goshawk, ''A. soloensis''

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★ Frances's Sparrowhawk, ''A. francesii''

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★ Spot-tailed Goshawk, ''A. trinotatus''

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★ Grey Goshawk, ''A. novaehollandiae''

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★ Brown Goshawk, ''A. fasciatus''

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★ Black-mantled Goshawk, ''A. melanochlamys''

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★ Pied Goshawk, ''A. albogularis''

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★ Fiji Goshawk, ''A. rufitorques''

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★ White-bellied Goshawk, ''A. haplochrous''

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★ Moluccan Goshawk, ''A. henicogrammus''

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★ Grey-headed Goshawk, ''A. poliocephalus''

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★ New Britain Goshawk, ''A. princeps''

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★ Black Goshawk, ''A. melanoleucus''

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★ Henst's Goshawk, ''A. henstii''

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★ Meyer's Goshawk, ''A. meyerianus''

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★ Chestnut-flanked Sparrowhawk, ''A. castanilius''

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★ Nicobar Sparrowhawk, ''A. butleri''

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★ Levant Sparrowhawk, ''A. brevipes''

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★ Slaty-mantled Sparrowhawk, ''A. luteoschistaceus''

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★ Imitator Sparrowhawk, ''A. imitator''

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★ Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, ''A. erythropus''

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★ Little Sparrowhawk, ''A. minullus''

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★ Japanese Sparrowhawk, ''A. gularis''

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★ Small Sparrowhawk, ''A. nanus''

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★ Rufous-necked Sparrowhawk, ''A. erythrauchen''

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★ Collared Sparrowhawk, ''A. cirrocephalus''

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★ New Britain Sparrowhawk, ''A. brachyurus''

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★ Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk, ''A. rhodogaster''

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★ Madagascar Sparrowhawk, ''A. madagascariensis''

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★ Ovampo Sparrowhawk, ''A. ovampensis''

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★ Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk, ''A. rufiventris''

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★ Shikra, ''A. badius''

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★ Tiny Hawk, ''A. superciliosus''

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★ Semicollared Hawk, ''A. collaris''

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★ Sharp-shinned Hawk, ''A. striatus''

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★ White-breasted Hawk, ''A. chionogaster''

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★ Plain-breasted Hawk, ''A. ventralis''

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★ Rufous-thighed Hawk, ''A. erythronemius''

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★ Cooper's Hawk, ''A. cooperii''

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★ Gundlach's Hawk, ''A. gundlachi''

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★ Bicoloured Hawk, ''A. bicolor''

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★ Besra, ''A. virgatus''

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★ 'Genus ''Micronisus'' '

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★ Gabar Goshawk, ''M. gabar''

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★ 'Genus ''Melierax'' '

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★ Dark Chanting Goshawk, ''M. metabates''

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★ Eastern Chanting Goshawk, ''M. poliopterus''

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★ Pale Chanting Goshawk, ''M. canorus''

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★ 'Genus ''Urotriorchis'' '

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★ Long-tailed Hawk, ''U. macrourus''

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★ 'Genus ''Erythrotriorchis'' '

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★ Red Goshawk, ''E. radiatus''

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★ Chestnut-shouldered Goshawk, ''E. buergersi''

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★ 'Genus ''Megatriorchis'' '

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★ Doria's Goshawk, ''Megatriorchis doriae''

★ 'Subfamily Buteoninae'

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★ 'Genus ''Parabuteo'' '

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★ Harris's Hawk, ''P. unicinctus''

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★ 'Genus ''Buteogallus'' '

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★ Common Black Hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus''

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★ Mangrove Black Hawk, ''Buteogallus subtilis''

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★ Great Black Hawk, ''Buteogallus urubitinga''

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★ Rufous Crab-hawk, ''Buteogallus aequinoctialis''

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★ Savanna Hawk, ''Buteogallus meridionalis''

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★ 'Genus ''Busarellus'' '

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★ Black-collared Hawk, ''Busarellus nigricollis''

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★ 'Genus ''Leucopternis'' '

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★ Plumbeous Hawk, ''Leucopternis plumbea''

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★ Slate-coloured Hawk, ''Leucopternis schistacea''

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★ Barred Hawk, ''Leucopternis princeps''

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★ Black-faced Hawk, ''Leucopternis melanops''

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★ White-browed Hawk, ''Leucopternis kuhli''

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★ White-necked Hawk, ''Leucopternis lacernulata''

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★ Semiplumbeous Hawk, ''Leucopternis semiplumbea''

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★ White Hawk, ''Leucopternis albicollis''

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★ Grey-backed Hawk, ''Leucopternis occidentalis''

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★ Mantled Hawk, ''Leucopternis polionota''

Hawks and humans

★ Hawks are sometimes used in falconry, a sport in which trained hawks, eagles or falcons, are used to pursue and catch small game.

External links

★ Hawk videos on the Internet Bird Collection

★ Hawk photos taken on the central coast of California.