The Buteoninae are a subfamily of birds of prey which consists of medium to large, broad-winged species.
They have large, powerful, hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, and powerful talons. They also have extremely keen eyesight to enable them to spot potential prey from a distance.
This subfamily contains the buzzards (buteonine hawks) with great diversity in appearance and form and some appearing eagle-like, with at least 50 species included overall in the subfamily. At one time, several types were grouped, including large assemblages such as booted eagles, but modern studies using mitochondrial DNA clarified that this subfamily was smaller than formerly classified.Lerner, H. R., Klaver, M. C., & Mindell, D. P. (2008). Molecular phylogenetics of the Buteonine birds of prey (Accipitridae). The Auk, 125(2), 304-315.Lerner, H. R., & Mindell, D. P. (2005). Phylogeny of eagles, Old World vultures, and other Accipitridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 37(2), 327-346.Lerner, H., Christidis, L., Gamauf, A., Griffiths, C., Haring, E., Huddleston, C. J., Kabra, S., Kocum, A., Krosby, M., Kvaloy, K., Mindell, D., Rasmussen, P., Rov, N., Wadleigh, R., Michael Wink & Gjershaug, J. O. (2017). Phylogeny and new taxonomy of the Booted Eagles (Accipitriformes: Aquilinae). Zootaxa 4216 (4), 301-320.
Systematics The subfamily Buteoninae was introduced (as "Buteonina") by the Irish zoologist Nicholas Vigors in 1825 with Buteo as the type genus. The subfamily includes about 79 currently recognized species. Unlike the many lineages of Accipitridae which seem to have radiated out of Africa or South Asia, the Buteoninae clearly originated in the Americas based on fossil records and current species distributions (more than 75% of the extant raptors from this lineage are found in the Americas).Brodkorb, P. (1964). Catalogue of fossil birds: Part 2 (Anseriformes through Galliformes). University of Florida.
A genus level cladogram of the Buteoninae is shown below. It is based on a molecular phylogenetic study of the family Accipitridae by Therese Catanach and collaborators that was published in 2024.
Genera Tribe Image Genus Species Milvini -milvine kites and sea and fish eagles.Milvus Red kite, Milvus milvus Cape Verde kite, Milvus (milvus) fasciicauda extinct (2000) Black kite, Milvus migrans Black-eared kite, Milvus (migrans) lineatus Yellow-billed kite, Milvus aegyptiusHaliastur Brahminy kite, Haliastur indus Whistling kite, Haliastur sphenurusHaliaeetus Steller's sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus Pallas's fish eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus White-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalusIcthyophaga White-bellied sea eagle Icthyophaga leucogaster Sanford's sea eagle Icthyophaga sanfordi African fish eagle Icthyophaga vocifer Madagascar fish eagle Icthyophaga vociferoides Grey-headed fish eagle Icthyophaga ichthyaetus Lesser fish eagle Icthyophaga humilis Buteonini Butastur Rufous-winged buzzard (B. liventer) Grasshopper buzzard (B. rufipennis) White-eyed buzzard (B. teesa) Grey-faced buzzard (B. indicus) Ictinia Mississippi kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) Plumbeous kite (Ictinia plumbea) Geranospiza Crane hawk (Geranospiza caerulescens) Busarellus Black-collared hawk (Busarellus nigricollis) Rostrhamus Snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) Helicolestes Slender-billed kite (Helicolestes hamatus) Morphnarchus Barred hawk (Morphnarchus princeps) Cryptoleucopteryx Plumbeous hawk (Cryptoleucopteryx plumbea) Buteogallus Slate-colored hawk Buteogallus schistaceus White-necked hawk Buteogallus lacernulatus Rufous crab hawk, Buteogallus aequinoctialis Common black hawk, Buteogallus anthracinus Mangrove black hawk, Buteogallus (anthracinus) subtilis – formerly considered a distinct species, but now considered a subspecies. Cuban black hawk, Buteogallus gundlachii – formerly included in B. anthracinus Great black hawk, Buteogallus urubitinga Savanna hawk, Buteogallus meridionalis Chaco eagle, Buteogallus coronatus Solitary eagle, Buteogallus solitarius Rupornis Roadside hawk (Rupornis magnirostris) Parabuteo Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) White-rumped hawk (Parabuteo leucorrhous) Geranoaetus White-tailed hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) Variable hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma) Black-chested buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) Pseudastur Mantled hawk (Pseudastur polionotus) White hawk (Pseudastur albicollis) Gray-backed hawk (Pseudastur occidentalis) Leucopternis Semiplumbeous hawk (Leucopternis semiplumbeus) Black-faced hawk (Leucopternis melanops) White-browed hawk (Leucopternis kuhli) Buteo Common buzzard, Buteo buteo Eastern buzzard, Buteo japonicus Himalayan buzzard, Buteo refectus Cape Verde buzzard, Buteo bannermani Socotra buzzard, Buteo socotraensis Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis Long-legged buzzard, Buteo rufinus Rough-legged buzzard, Buteo lagopus Ferruginous hawk, Buteo regalis Red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus Broad-winged hawk, Buteo platypterus Swainson's hawk, Buteo swainsoni Ridgway's hawk, Buteo ridgwayi Short-tailed hawk, Buteo brachyurus White-throated hawk, Buteo albigula Galápagos hawk, Buteo galapagoensis Gray-lined hawk, Buteo nitidus Gray hawk, Buteo plagiatus Zone-tailed hawk, Buteo albonotatus Hawaiian hawk, Buteo solitarius Rufous-tailed hawk, Buteo ventralis Mountain buzzard, Buteo oreophilus Forest buzzard, Buteo trizonatus Madagascar buzzard, Buteo brachypterus Upland buzzard, Buteo hemilasius Red-necked buzzard, Buteo auguralis Jackal buzzard, Buteo rufofuscus Augur buzzard, Buteo augur
Extinct Genera Bermuteo Garganoaetus
References
External links Accipitridae videos on the Internet Bird Collection