ɪɾ ɪz klˈoʊs ɪn sˈaɪz tə ðə swˈeɪnsənz bjˈuːɾɪˌoʊ sweɪnsˈoʊni ænd ɹˈɛdtˈeɪld hˈɔːks bjˈuːɾɪˌoʊ dʒɐmeɪsˈɛnsɪs, ɪts mˈiːn mˈɛʒɚmənts fˈɔːlɪŋ slˈaɪtli ɐhˈɛd ʌvðə fˈɜːst, ænd slˈaɪtli bᵻhˌaɪnd ðə lˈæɾɚ.
It is close in size to the Swainson's (Buteo swainsoni) and red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), its mean measurements falling slightly ahead of the first, and slightly behind the latter.