Buteogallus borrasi
| Buteogallus borrasi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Falconiformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Genus: | Buteogallus |
| Species: | B. borrasi |
| Binomial name | |
| Buteogallus borrasi (Arredondo, 1970) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Aquila borrasi Arredondo, 1970 | |
Buteogallus borrasi is an extinct species of giant buteonine hawk formerly endemic to Cuba. It probably fed on megafauna.
It was so huge compared to other Buteogallus that it was long believed to be a titan-hawk (Titanohierax, also extinct) or even an Aquila eagle. No proper common name exists due to this misconception. Of the commonly used terms for Buteogallus, neither applies either, as it cannot be inferred that the bird shared the dark plumage of many living congeners (the black-hawks); it probably did neither share the crab-eating habits or the mangrove habitat common in Buteogallus of today to which the other common names of these birds - crab-hawks and mangrove-hawks - refer. Indeed, the name "Cuban Black-hawk" refers to a much smaller relative that still lives on the island.