Kauaʻi Conservation Atlas

Kauaʻi record · kba_bird_hawaiian_hawk

Hawaiian Hawk

Buteo solitarius

Open this record in the interactive Atlas
Hawaiian Hawk — Adults · light morph left, dark morph right
Hawaiian Hawk — Adults · light morph left, dark morph right · OpenAI image generation; Atlas deterministic typesetting · AI-generated artwork; no third-party photograph reproduced · Image source

About Hawaiian Hawk

Kauaʻi fossil material has been compared provisionally with Buteo solitarius. The comparison does not establish that the fossil belongs to the living species.

Kauaʻi evidence

A Hawaiʻi-level record is available, but the species needs a documented Kauaʻi observation before local ecological conclusions are drawn. Makauwahi reports Buteo cf. solitarius; cf. marks a provisional resemblance. The currently accepted species name is retained for the broader species account, but Kauaʻi fossil identity is not certain.

Occurrence evidence

fossil_qualified

Names and classification

Scientific name
Buteo solitarius
Common names
Hawaiian Hawk
Family
Accipitridae
Order
Accipitriformes
Record type
Species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence
Kauaʻi fossil attributed provisionally; species identity uncertain
Origin
Endemic
Conservation status
Endangered
Evidence date
2026-09-29
Evidence limits
Kauaʻi fossil material documented; comparison with the modern species is provisional

Habitat and ecology

Habitats
Forest
Food and resource needs
Not developed for Kauai.
Reproduction
Suitable nesting or roosting sites, seasonal food, and protection from disturbance and predators.
Shelter
Shelter and structure within forest.

Threats and conservation

Threats
Main risk is taxonomic/geographic overreach in the Atlas
Conservation actions
Use as a geography review note and ID regional reference only
Monitoring
Document date, place, observer, habitat, behavior, and supporting media for any Kauaʻi observation.
Data gaps
Confirm species identity of Kauaʻi fossil material · Reconstruct fossil context and chronology

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal timing
Hawaii Island Native Raptor Not Kauai Collection
Seasonal description
Kauaʻi fossil material has been compared provisionally with Buteo solitarius. The comparison does not establish that the fossil belongs to the living species.

Sources and further reading

Explore field guides

Suggest changes to this record