Leucopternis semiplumbeus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The semiplumbeous hawk (Leucopternis semiplumbeus) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, and Panama. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The semiplumbeous hawk is a small bird, averaging about 12–13 inches (30–33 cm) in length (approximately the size of a kestrel or merlin). It is dark gray above with white underparts and a white throat. The semiplumbeous hawk is easily identifiable due to its striking orange cere and black face mask. It has bright yellow eyes and its legs and feet are orange to orange-red in color.
Semiplumbeous hawks are rarely seen in flight. Instead, these hawks typically perch silently on a high branch, waiting for prey. This sit-and-wait strategy of feeding is similar to the feeding behavior of other Leucopternis species. The semiplumbeous hawk often follows swarms of army ants in order to capture antbirds, which, along with other small songbirds, make up a large portion of its diet. It might also feed on bats, lizards and snakes.
During the breeding season, this species is known to be quite vocal and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darién National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Tortuguero National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | San Lorenzo Protected Forest | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 4 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | Braulio Carrillo National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 6 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 7 | Bastimentos Island National Marine Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 8 | Cahuita National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 9 | Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 10 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 11 | Tenorio Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 12 | Parque Natural Metropolitano | 🇵🇦 Panama |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Semiplumbeous Hawk sighting in Braulio Carrillo National Park on a given day, based on 213 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 281st most-seen of the 505 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Semiplumbeous Hawk in Braulio Carrillo National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–October and December, the lowest months. Those are among Braulio Carrillo National Park's wettest months, with about 520 mm of rain a month against 170 mm in April.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Semiplumbeous Hawk sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Semiplumbeous Hawk sightings, Braulio Carrillo National Park ranks 5th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Darién National Park (Panama, under 5%), Tortuguero National Park (Costa Rica, under 5%) and San Lorenzo Protected Forest (Panama, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Semiplumbeous Hawk is recorded against all the birds logged in Braulio Carrillo National Park (213 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
