Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies
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Dominica Botanic Gardens Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies |
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| © Dominica Academy of Arts and Sciences, Dec. 2004 | Home Page | Comments & Suggestions |Site Coordinator | Gardens Curator |
| Birds of the Botanic Gardens Broad-winged Hawk: Buteo platypterus; Local name: Chicken Hawk, Malfini; |
 Source: Dominica’s Birds
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Description: 35-41 cm (14-16 in) long, with wingspan of about 31-35 in; biggest hawk on the island; head, back and wings are darkish brown; underside of hawk is white with brown speckles; underwings white in flight; has short, dark, hooked bill of the raptor; tail is of medium length with white and brown bands across it, especially apparent in flight; has yellowish legs; feeds on small mammals, e.g. rats and mice, and on small snakes, lizards and birds; in Dominica, it is also known to prey on small chickens, hence its local name Chicken Hawk; usually seen soaring high overhead searching for prey, when its screech can occasionally be heard; sometimes seen on the taller trees on the hillside at the back of the Gardens; while Broad-winged Hawks are normally long distance migrants, the Caribbean subspecies is endemic.
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