black body including head; white tail bands (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-28)


Zone-tailed Hawk
Buteo albonotatus

Native Range: North America and Latin America

Notes: this remarkable species has evolved to look like a Turkey Vulture, both in appearance and behavior; namely, this dark bird of prey soars like a Turkey Vulture on two-toned dihedral (held above the horizontal) wings; presumably this resemblance to a carrion-feeding species enables this predator to sneak up on its prey without causing undue alarm in its target, which includes small mammals; nevertheless, it is easily told from a Turkey Vulture by its somewhat smaller size, lack of a bald red head, its yellow bill, and strong white banding on its tail.


dorsal view; holds wings above the horizontal (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-28)
soars like a vulture; note the slotted primaries (Arizona, USA; 2012-04-28)