Mantled Hawk, Black and White Hawk-eagle and White-necked Hawk are three very special

bird species found at REGUA, they are stunning to see with their white plumage contrasting against a blue Brazilian sky.   These three species are in the family of Accipiters which comprises hawks, eagles and kites.

Mantled Hawk is an Atlantic Rainforest endemic feeding on a variety of prey including small birds, lizards, large insects and small mammals.    They sit on perches and ambush their prey sometimes staying in the same area for several days.   Often it is the call that alerts us that the bird is around.    It is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN red data list.

Black and White Hawk eagle (Spizaetus melanoleucu) is slightly larger than Mantled Hawk,  it also has a much larger distribution and is considered of least concern by the IUCN.   REGUA’s bird guide, Adilei Carvalho da Cunha says it can be regularly seen from trails around the reserve.

A third member of the accipiter family found at REGUA is White-necked Hawk, a smaller hawk which is white with black upper parts.   This species is harder to see than the previous two species with its habit of gliding above the trees and remaining mostly within the forested areas.   It also tends to perch in the mid-storey of the forest or within the canopy making it harder to find.   The diet is similar to the previous two species, but may feed lower to the ground.

These birds can be seen around the reserve at REGUA and on some of our offsite trips.