Raptors of Mexico and Central America

by William S. Clark, N. John Schmitt, Lloyd Kiff (Foreword by)

Overview

The essential field guide to the raptors of Mexico and Central America

Raptors are among the most challenging birds to identify in the field due to their bewildering variability of plumage, flight silhouettes, and behavior. Raptors of Mexico and Central America is the first illustrated guide to the region's 69 species of raptors, including vagrants. It features 32 stunning color plates and 213 color photos, and a distribution map for each regularly occurring species. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, age-related plumages, status and distribution, subspecies, molt, habitats, behaviors, potential confusion species, and more.

Raptors of Mexico and Central America is the essential field guide to this difficult bird group and the ideal travel companion for anyone visiting this region of the world.

• Covers all 69 species of raptors found in Mexico and Central America
• Features 32 color plates and hundreds of color photos
• Provides multiple illustrations of each species
• Depicts and describes variations in plumage by individual, morph, age, and region
• Describes behavior, food preferences, hunting strategies, vocalizations, and molt
• Covers rare and extralimital species
• Includes distribution maps and flight silhouettes

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691116495
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	03/28/2017
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.80(w) x 10.20(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

William S. Clark is a raptor photographer, tour guide, and lecturer, and one of the world's leading authorities on raptors. His books include A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors (Princeton) and A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. N. John Schmitt is an acclaimed bird artist who specializes in birds of prey. He is the illustrator of A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa and illustrated the diurnal raptors in Birds of Peru (Princeton).

Table of Contents

List of Plates 7

Foreword 8

Acknowledgments 10

INTRODUCTION 11

How to Use This Guide 16

Raptor Glossary 17

PLATES 24

SPECIES ACCOUNTS 88

NEW WORLD VULTURES:

Cathartiformes

Black Vulture 88

Turkey Vulture 91

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture 94

California Condor 97

King Vulture 99

OSPREY: Pandioninae

Osprey 102

FAMILY: Accipitridae

Gray-headed Kite 106

Hook-billed Kite 109

Swallow-tailed Kite 112

Pearl Kite 115

White-tailed Kite 117

Snail Kite 121

Slender-billed Kite 126

Double-toothed Kite 128

Mississippi Kite 130

Plumbeous Kite 133

Bald Eagle 135

Black-collared Hawk 138

Northern Harrier 140

Long-winged Harrier 144

Gray-bellied Hawk 146

Tiny Hawk 148

Sharp-shinned Hawk 150

White-breasted Hawk 154

Cooper’s Hawk 156

Bicolored Hawk 159

Northern Goshawk 162

Crane Hawk 165

Plumbeous Hawk 167

Savannah Hawk 169

Common Black Hawk 172

Great Black Hawk 176

Solitary Eagle 180

Barred Hawk 183

Roadside Hawk 186

Harris’s Hawk 190

White-tailed Hawk 193

White Hawk 197

Semiplumbeous Hawk 199

Gray Hawk 201

Gray-lined Hawk 204

Red-shouldered Hawk 207

Broad-winged Hawk 211

Short-tailed Hawk 214

Swainson’s Hawk 218

Zone-tailed Hawk 222

Red-tailed Hawk 225

Harlan’s Hawk 231

Ferruginous Hawk 234

Rough-legged Hawk 237

Crested Eagle 240

Harpy Eagle 242

Golden Eagle 245

Black Hawk-Eagle 248

Ornate Hawk-Eagle 250

Black and White Eagle 253

FALCONIDS: Falconidae

Laughing Falcon 257

Barred Forest-Falcon 259

Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon 262

Collared Forest-Falcon 264

Red-throated Caracara 267

Crested Caracara 269

Yellow-headed Caracara 273

American Kestrel 276

Merlin 280

Aplomado Falcon 284

Bat Falcon 288

Orange-breasted Falcon 291

Peregrine Falcon 294

Prairie Falcon 298

References 301

Index 303

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Accurate, comprehensive, and authoritative."—Sergio Seipke, Raptours

Editorial Reviews

"Bird identification books are utilitarian. No matter the skill with paint brush or camera or keyboard, they are utilities. Raptors of Mexico and Central America is that and more. From Princeton University Press, this book gives you all of the utility plus over 200 pages of life histories and in many cases stunning photographs."—-Jim Williams, Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Wingnut

"This is a work that comes as close to perfection as you can get. It combines the expertise of one of the world's leading raptor experts and an artist sans pareil. . . . This is a work you will cherish for years to come."—-David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds blog

From the Publisher

"We’re not all lucky enough to bird with world-renowned raptor expert William Clark or acclaimed bird artist John Schmitt, but we can learn a lot from them through their books. . . . An essential reference for birders visiting the region."

Bird Watching Magazine