The Story
This Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) was at Reserva Natural La Palmita in Trinidad, Casanare, Colombia when I photographed it. The Savanna Hawk usually hunts from an open, high perch, but it will also hunt on foot, and several may gather at grass fires. It builds a stick nest lined with grass in a palm tree. The clutch is a single white egg. La Palmita is a civil-society nature reserve in Trinidad that protects about 400 hectares of flooded savanna and 250 hectares of forest. IUCN lists the Savanna Hawk as Least Concern, with a stable population.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6, at 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100. La Palmita conserves its flooded savannas through its cattle ranching and has welcomed visitors since 2013, so every stay supports sustainable tourism in the region.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis) belongs to the family Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2020), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List