Ornate Hawk-Eagle

Range and Habitat of Ornate Hawk-Eagle

  • Geographic Range

    From southern Mexico through Central America to northeastern Argentina and southeastern Brazil. Two recognized subspecies: S. o. vicarius from Mexico through northwestern South America (the form present in Costa Rica), and S. o. ornatus across the rest of the South American range.

  • Migratory Patterns

    Non-migratory. Pairs hold year-round territories and frequently re-use the same nest site across multiple breeding seasons.

  • Preferred Habitat

    Tall, unbroken lowland and foothill tropical rainforest. Strongly tied to mature primary forest, though it also uses cloud forest at higher elevations and tall secondary growth adjacent to intact forest. Tends to abandon areas where forest tracts fall below a few hundred hectares.

  • Altitude Range

    Sea level to roughly 1,500 m (4,900 ft), occasionally to 1,800 m (5,900 ft). Wandering birds have been recorded as high as 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in Costa Rica.

  • Costa Rica Habitat

    Most reliable in the Caribbean lowlands and foothills — Sarapiquí, Boca Tapada, the Arenal area, and Tortuguero region — and in mid-elevation Caribbean forests of the Guanacaste Conservation Area. Also present on the Pacific slope in middle-elevation forest around San Ramón and the Bajo La Paz area.

Conservation Status

  • Conservation Status

    Near Threatened

  • Population Status

    Declining. Modeling tied to projected Amazon deforestation estimates a 25–30% decline across the Americas over the next three generations as suitable habitat is lost.
     Habitat loss from deforestation and forest fragmentation is the principal threat. Persecution by landowners who perceive the eagle as a risk to poultry is a secondary pressure. Naturally low reproductive output — typically a single egg, often every other year — slows population recovery.

  • Conservation efforts

    Protected within Costa Rica's national park and biological reserve system. Listed on CITES Appendix II, regulating international trade.

  • Primary Threats

    Habitat loss from deforestation and forest fragmentation is the principal threat. Persecution by landowners who perceive the eagle as a risk to poultry is a secondary pressure. Naturally low reproductive output — typically a single egg, often every other year — slows population recovery.

    • Ornate Hawk-Eagle Identification

    How to Identify the Species

    • Rarity Level:

      Uncommon

    • Best Viewing Times:

      Late Morning (8 AM - 11 AM)

    • Size

      Medium-large raptor. Body length 58–67 cm (23–26 in); wingspan roughly 100–120 cm (3–4 ft); weight 1.0–1.6 kg. Females are noticeably larger than males.

    • Plumage

      Adults have a black crown and long, spiky black crest; rufous-chestnut sides of the head, neck, and breast; and a white throat and central breast bordered by a black stripe. Underparts, leg feathering, and wing linings are white with bold black barring. Upperparts are blackish; the long tail shows three to four broad dark bands. Juveniles look strikingly different, mostly white on the head and underparts with sparse barring on the belly, and a shorter crest. Juveniles can take two to three years to acquire full adult plumage.

    • Distinctive Features

      Long, pointed black crest, often raised when the bird is alert. Fully feathered tarsi (the “trousered” look characteristic of booted eagles). Yellow eyes, cere, and feet. In flight, broad rounded wings and a long, boldly barred tail.

    • Sexual Dimorphism

      Sexes are alike in plumage. Females are noticeably larger and heavier, as is typical of raptors.

    Diet and Feeding Behavior

    Behavior Patterns

    Ornate Hawk-Eagle

    Birdwatching Tips

  • Best Locations for Spotting Ornate Hawk-Eagle

    • Arenal area — lowland and foothill rainforest, including private reserves bordering the forest
    • Sarapiquí and Boca Tapada — reliable Caribbean lowland sites
    • Bajo La Paz / San Ramón area — middle-elevation forest on the Pacific slope
    • Heliconias Lodge and Tenorio area — known nesting territories
    • Guanacaste Conservation Area (mid-elevation Caribbean forest) — recent records

    • Start Planning Your Trip

    Breeding and Nesting Behavior

    • Breeding Season

      Nesting typically begins in the dry season, roughly February through May in Central America. Pairs often nest every other year due to the long dependency period of the young.

    • Nesting Sites

      Large stick platforms built high in the forks of tall emergent trees, often in primary forest. Nests can reach about 1.7 m across, are lined with fresh green leaves, and are frequently reused and refurbished across seasons.

    • Clutch Size

      Almost always one egg per clutch (rarely two). Eggs are whitish with reddish-brown spotting.

    • Incubation Period

      Approximately 44–48 days. The female does roughly 95% of the incubation while the male hunts and delivers prey.

    • Parental Care

      The female broods and feeds the chick; the male delivers most prey during the early nestling period. Young fledge at roughly 9–13 weeks but remain dependent on the adults for up to a year, often staying within a few hundred meters of the nest tree.

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