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Posted by Bill Pranty on 18:32:19 04/24/05
In Reply to: Re: Status of Great Black Hawk (was Re: Bill Baggs Cape Florida TAS walk) posted by Jeff Weber
The first black-hawk in the Miami area was reported in 1973, and they have been observed sparingly since then. The birds have been identified as either Common Black-Hawk or Great Black-Hawk (either the Cuban race -- "Crab Hawk" -- or the mainland race). The first bird photographed -- at Greynolds Park in 1975 and published in "American Birds" -- was identified by Dean Amadon (a renowned ornithologist) as a Common Black-Hawk, But the general view is that the birds are Great Black-Hawks. Other black-hawks were photographed in 1978 and 1979.
Recent pix or vids would certainly be valuable to obtain.
The birds have always been presumed to be escapees, perhaps from the former Crandon Park Zoo.
Stevenson and Anderson (1994) give the complete (up to 1994) history of the black-hawk issue.
Best regards,
Bill Pranty
Avon Park, Florida
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