Gray Hawks:  Our Wild At Heart team is nearly one week into their Arizona trek and have completed over 60 miles.  This week they are hiking past the Patagonia-Sonoita Nature Conservancy.  This area is well known for the Gray Hawk which has a spotty breeding area limited to the wooded waterways of the desert Southwest. 

This species is found through Mexico and into Central America but barely crosses into the US, crossing the border counties in SE Arizona, SW Texas, and the southern tip of Texas.

Gray Hawks have a slightly unique diet.  In contrast to most other hawks in the US that feed on birds and rodents, Gray Hawks hunt primarily lizards.  Snakes will also be hunted.  However, this hawk will also supplement its diet with the occasional taking of some song birds, small mammals, and large insects.

The call of this hawk is rather distinctive, with a higher-pitched, whining whistle.  You can hear that bird’s call below.  Just click on the triangle-shaped play button at the buttom left.