URUBITINGA. 79 
URUBITINGA. 
Urubitinga, Lesson, Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 132; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p. 212; Ridgway, 
Bull. U. 8. Geol. & Geogr. Surv. ii. p. 167. 
This genus is peculiar to the New World, and all its known species occur within our 
limits. It differs from Buteo and Asturina in habit and in plumage, the latter under- 
going various phases in both the adult and young birds. The wings are remarkably 
rounded, and the primaries are scarcely longer than the secondaries. Prof. Ridgway 
regards Urubitinga as intermediate between the true Buzzards (Buteo) and the Harpies 
(Thrasaetus and Morphnus); in our opinion, however, the genus must be considered 
Buteonine in its affinities, though separable owing to its shorter wings and the 
unmistakable character of its plumage. 
1. Urubitinga zonura, 
Falco urubitinga, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 265°. 
Urubitinga urubitinga, Sharpe, Hand-l. Birds, i. p. 2587. 
Falco zonurus, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii. p. 62°. 
Urubitinga zonura, Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. York, vii. p. 316*; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p. 218°; 
Ridgw. Bull. U.S. Geol. & Geogr. Surv. ii. p. 168°; Gurney, List Diurn. Birds Prey, 
pp. 77, 148%. 
Nigra, pilei postici et nuche plumis ad basin albis ; tectricibus caude superioribus externis albis: subtus nigra, 
tibiis albo maculatis; alis subtus nigris, fasciis indistinctis fuscis; subalaribus ad marginem alarum 
quoque albo maculatis; cauda nigra, albo terminata, fascia plus quam bitriente basali lata alba, ad basin 
nigro interrupta; rostro nigro; cera et pedibus flavis. Long. tota circa 24:0, ale 16:0, caude 10:0, 
tarsi 4°7. (Descr. exempl. ex Nicoya, Costa Rica. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Costa Rica, Bebedero (E. Arcé), Nicoya (Mus. Norv.’); Panama (M‘Leannan 4). 
—CotomsBiA’; Ecuapor’; Gurana®; Amazons®; Braziu®; AraEntina®; CHILE’. 
This species is widely distributed over South America, and only extends northwards 
as far as Costa Rica, whence we have examples as recorded above. In the latter country 
both U. zonura and U. ridgwayi are found. In Nicaragua U. ridgwayi apparently 
alone occurs, and Professor Ridgway, after a careful examination of all the specimens 
in the U.S. National Museum from that country, tells us he is of the same opinion. 
U. zonura is distinguished by its white upper tail-coverts, and by the large expanse 
of white on the tail-feathers, this extending to the base, where it is slightly mottled 
with black ; no second white bar is found in U. ridgwayi. 
2. Urubitinga ridgwayi. 
Morphnus urubitinga, Scl. P. Z. 8. 1857, p. 227°. 
Urubitinga zonura (nec Shaw), Scl. & Salvin, Ibis, 1859, p. 215°; P. Z. 8. 1867, p. 280°; Lawr. 
Ann. Lyc. N. York, ix. pp. 183*, 207°; von Frantzius, J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 368°; Sharpe, 
Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. i. p. 218 (part.)” ; Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 802°; Bull. U.S, 
