Fun Black-chested Buzzard-eagle Facts For Kids

The black-chested buzzard eagles can be contemplated as one of the massive raptor species from the Accipitridae family. These birds are from South America including the regions of Brazil, Argentina, Tierra del Fuego, Chile, and other parts as these places have the right kind of habitat. These birds are predominantly recognized for their feathers and wedge-shaped tail. This species has two subspecies distinguished by the regions in which they live. Interestingly, the scientific name of this species is Geranoaetus melanoleucus which implies a black and white crane eagle. Black-chested buzzard eagles are closely related to the Buteo hawks and are often incorporated with these. Even though their name suggests eagles, they are not true eagles. It is because of its size that it is called an eagle. These birds are often described as powerful and bulky. They are typically timid but can become aggressive at times. It is the shape of their flight that enables them to distinguish themselves from other species.

Already found this article about the black-chested buzzard eagles intriguing? Then keep reading as we have listed some of the interesting facts about this species below.

If you like this article then you can read about other articles about the Cooper’s hawk and Antillean nighthawk.

What type of animal is a black-chested buzzard-eagle?

A black-chested buzzard-eagle is a bird of prey widely known as a gray buzzard eagle, black buzzard eagle, or Chilean blue eagle.

What class of animal does a black-chested buzzard-eagle belong to?

The black chested buzzard eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) belongs to the class Aves, order Accipitriformes, family Accipitridae, genus Geranoaetus. However, the genus of these species may vary as it is occasionally placed in the genus Buteo. The black chested buzzard eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) further has two sub-species, the eastern black-chested buzzard-eagle, (Geranoaetus melanoleucus melanoleucus) and western black-chested buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus australis).

How many black-chested buzzard-eagles are there in the world?

The accurate number of black-chested buzzard eagles is not known.

Where does a black-chested buzzard-eagle live?

The black chested buzzard eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) can be found in South America and is broadly endemic to the region. This Geranoaetus melanoleucus melanoleucus inhabits Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina while the Geranoaetus melanoleucus australis dwells in Tierra del fuego, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, West Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela. These birds have been documented to be partial migrants and usually do so during the non-breeding season. The migration pattern and location depend upon the altitude of the location they usually stay at.

What is a black-chested buzzard-eagle's habitat?

The black chested buzzard eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) is common in grasslands, savannah, and woodlands of South America. The rocky cliffs and steppes are ideal for them as they live 5000-10,000 ft (1600-3500 m) above sea level.

Who does the black-chested buzzard-eagle live with?

Not much has been documented about their social skills, however, they are generally shy and territorial.

How long does a black-chested buzzard-eagle live?

The average life span of the melanoleucus black chested buzzard in captivity can be as long as 42 years. Their lifespan in the wild is not known.

How do they reproduce?

The black-chested buzzard eagles are oviparous and the method of reproduction is coitus. The breeding season of the adult birds may vary according to the region. In the south, the breeding season is from February until April while in the north the breeding season is from September to April. The male and female bird species engage themselves in courtship flights as they take many weeks to copulate after bonding. The approximate clutch size of these birds is one to three eggs that hatch after an incubation period of 30 days. The nest of these birds is primarily on the fork of high trees or cliff ledge. These birds tend to return to the same nesting site after a year. In Ecuador particularly nesting of these birds can be discovered all through the year.

What is their conservation status?

The conversation status of the black-chested buzzard eagles is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But the population of this raptor is declining in certain areas because of deforestation particularly in Santa Catarina states, the Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and some parts of Argentina.

What do black-chested buzzard-eagles look like?

The black-chested buzzard is an enormous bird, the adults can grow as big as 24-30 in (62-76 cm), have a wingspan of 59-79 in (149-200 cm), and weigh approximately 4.7-6 lb (2.1-2.7 kg). It has two subspecies Geranoaetus melanoleucus melanoleucus and Geranoaetus melanoleucus australis, out of which the latter is slightly smaller and weighs around 7 lb (3.2 kg). The juveniles do not have the adult plumage initially and are black or dark brown, they have white underparts. The adult bird is commonly blue and gray marked with black and white. The tail of this bird species is tapered and black with dark gray tips that disappear when they perch. The adult possesses a white underside with black stripes. The upper parts of this bird are usually gray and with a blue, black, brown tinge. The adult has long feathers that cover their breast and neck. The wings of this bird may appear silver when seen from far but the actual color of their wings is ash gray and white. This is a sexually dimorphic species, the females are slightly bigger than the males.

How cute are they?

These birds are majestic but can appear intimidating because of their size.

How do they communicate?

This is not an extremely vocal bird species as it is only in flight when it usually calls or if it is near the range of its nest. The call of the adults is high-pitched like a curlew’s whistle.

How big is a black-chested buzzard-eagle?

The average size can range somewhere between 24-30 in (62-76 cm) with a wingspan of 59-79 (149-200 cm). They are smaller than the crowned eagle that has a standard body size of 31-39 in (80-99 cm). However, it is only due to its size that the black-chested buzzard is considered as an eagle otherwise it is not a true eagle.

How fast can a black-chested buzzard-eagle fly?

The accurate speed of these birds of prey is not listed.

How much does a black-chested buzzard-eagle weigh?

The weight of the males and females can range from 3.7 to 7.0 lb (1.67-3.17 kg). Nevertheless, the subspecies Geranoaetus melanoleucus australis is smaller, hence the male weighs around 3.7 lb (1.7 kg) and the female weighs around 7.1 lb (3.2 kg). Their weight is slightly more than the tawny eagles, which are approximately 4.4-5.5 lb (2-2.5kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There is no specific name that has been assigned to the males and females of this bird.

What would you call a baby black-chested buzzard-eagle?

Young eagles are commonly known as eaglets. The color of the eaglets can vary from black to deep brown and they are very streaky. However, it takes around four to five years for the eaglets to develop the full plumage like adults.

What do they eat?

These are carnivores species, and their diet largely consists of small mammals, rodents including rabbits, and other birds. They hunt by foraging in flight. They do not hover much and usually fly across the area or circle it as they drop on the ground very hastily to catch the prey.

Are they dangerous?

The adults can get aggressive and extremely territorial particularly during the incubation period they can attack trespassers.

Would they make a good pet?

These are wild birds that prefer flying all their life, capturing them and keeping them as a pet will gradually lead to the decline of their population. Moreover, these big birds require massive space therefore it is better to leave them in their natural surroundings.

Did you know...

The word raptor is taken from the Latin word 'rapere' which signifies to capture or to seize, this is because of their foraging habit.

This bird species was first depicted in 1819 by Vieillot a prominent french ornithologist.

How many eggs do black-chested buzzard-eagle lay?

The reproductive cycle may differ according to their range in north and south. The approximate number of eggs laid by the female is two to three and the incubation period is 30 days.

Which is the faster bird between the hawk and falcon?

Even though hawks and falcons belong are birds of prey, they have several distinguishing features. Also, the speed of falcons while flying is more than hawks. The top speed of Peregrine falcons is 242 mph (390 kph) while the top speed of the redtail hawk is 118 mph (190 kph).

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our stork facts and greater sage-grouse facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable black chested snake eagle coloring pages.