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In Mexico, the Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) is primarily found along the Atlantic coast and in the Yucatan Peninsula during its migratory movements, making sightings outside of these areas unusual. In this short communication, I present the first record of the species in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. The observation took place on 28 September 2023, in the protected area of Presa La Purísima and its area of influence, located in the state capital. The bird was sighted near vegetation typical of the tropical dry forest, just a few meters from the body of water. This record highlights the importance of wetlands in the central region of the country, both for resident birds and for migratory and vagrant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little information exists on the diet of the Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) in Mexico. We provide the first documented observation of predation on a crab by the Common Black Hawk in a mangrove swamp on the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. On 24 April 2023, at 09:00 h, we observed a Common Black Hawk fly out of the mangrove swamp with a crab between both feet. We observed for 15 mins while the hawk consumed the crab on a post. We identified the Blue Land Crab (Cardisoma crassum) by the characteristic blue color of the shell, and orange claws and belly. Our observation contributes to knowledge of the diet of the Common Black Hawk and its consumption of a crab species that bioaccumulates metals and metalloids. This opens the possibility of conducting research to assess the risk of transfer and bioaccumulation from prey to predator that could compromise the conservation status of this raptor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a nationally threatened raptor, which is distributed from the north of the country to central Mexico. However, there are few reports of its presence within the distribution range in Mexico, as is the case for Coahuila. We carried out field observations in southeastern Coahuila during the period from 2017 to 2023, complemented by a review of field monitoring records in different databases. With these records, we generated environmental suitability modeling for the Golden Eagle using the MaxEnt algorithm to identify priority areas for conservation that are not located within a protected area. Monitoring records of the Golden Eagle largely demonstrated that the highest probability of occurrence is found in the northwest and southeast portion of Coahuila in areas of desert scrub and natural grassland. The climate suitability model indicated that priority areas for conservation are located adjacent to protected areas such as Maderas del Carmen, Sierra de Arteaga, Sierra de Zapalinamé, Ocampo and Don Martín. Our modeling of climatic suitability for the Golden Eagle allowed us to identify priority areas for conservation that are not located within a natural protected area, which implies that these areas suitable for the Golden Eagle to inhabit should be considered priority areas for the species' conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In northeast Mexico, the Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) is limited to the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, in Tamaulipas and Nuevo León. On 28 February 2021, we photographed a female Hook-billed Kite circling in flight over an area of coniferous forest at over 2,600 m asl, near the community of Los Lirios, municipality of Arteaga, Coahuila. This represents the first documented record of the Hook-billed Kite in Coahuila state, Mexico. We hypothesize that the richness and abundance of native land snails, and increased abundance of invasive snails in the Sierra Madre Oriental explain the presence of the Hook-billed Kite in the region, given that these mollusks are its principal food. Future monitoring is necessary to confirm residence of this raptor species, and extension of its distribution in northeast Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first records of the Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus) for the Cuitzeo lake in Michoacán. We observed a pair of Hook-billed Kites in April and September 2018, perched in the same woodlot of Prosopis laevigata (mezquite). In September the female was observed preying on the invasive Rumina decollata snail. This is noteworthy as this invasive snail can attain high densities and is harmful to biodiversity as it predates other gasteropods and is a crop pest. This record of the Hook-billed Kite raised to thirteen the number of diurnal raptor species recorded for the Cuitzeo area. Considering that it is unusual to observe cases in which an invasive species is predated by a native species, future studies should examine this biotic interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We report the record of a solitary eagle (Buteogallus solitarius) in the municipality of Santa María Tonameca, in the central coastal plain of Oaxaca. The record was obtained through the use of a camera reflex. We considered this report as important due to the species' demographic rarity and to recognize the places where the individuals of B. solitarius are registered in order to generate protection actions in the short to long term to improve its conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first records of the Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) for the state of Michoacan, in the context of a revision of its records for central-western Mexico. The new data suggest area fidelity and permanence of individuals in a suburban area to the northwest of Morelia City in Michoacán, during the wintering periods from 2011 to 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]