Characterization: Species measuring about 63 cm in length. With an aquiline silhouette, but with short fingers and somewhat tall legs. Black with gray and barred secondary areas and white wings and tail; yellow wax and legs.

Distribution: It occurs from Mexico to Argentina and throughout Brazil.

Habitat: It lives in secondary forest areas and at the edge of dry or moist forests, but avoids going in to the dense forest.

Habits: It is an infrequent species. It lives alone or in pairs.

Diet: This bird hunts on the edge of the woods and swamps for frogs and toads, of which only enjoy the hind legs, lizards, snakes, rats and insects; it will pick up fallen hatchlings from the ground in heron nesting areas and rabbit pups from hutches; it will also not ignore carrion, fishes well and likes Java plums.

Breeding: It nests high in trees next to rivers and wetlands.

In the UFRA area: This species frequents the organic sugarcane fields and restored forests.