Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle

Spizaetus melanoleucus

eBird provides this descriptive information about the Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle:  Rare but spectacular eagle of lowland tropical forest. Very rarely seen perched, when black mask, orange-yellow base of bill, and short black crest are distinctive. In flight appears bright white below with a white head and blackish upperparts. The diagnostic, white leading edge of the inner half of the wing contrasts with the black upperside and can be seen in flight at long range. Does not call much when flying, unlike Black and Ornate hawk-eagles. Adult similar to pale immature Gray-headed Kite, but is larger and has orange base to bill.

I saw my first Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle at Blackrock Lodge on the morning of November 22, 2024.  My guide Jeffry and I were walking along the river on the main road into the lodge when we spotted this bird, flying above the canopy.  We were near the Ornate Hawk-Eagle nest when we first saw the bird.  I was quite excited to see this bird —  it was probably the rarest bird I got to see on this trip.   (I stayed three nights at Black Rock on my own, since my group from The Texas Ornithological Society had to cut our trip to Belize short due to complications with Tropical Storm Sara.)  Below are a few of the pictures I took that day.