Falco superciliosus Linnaeus, 1766 Accipiter superciliosus Falco tinus Latham, 1790 Nisus tinus (Latham, 1790) Hieraspiza tinus Kaup, 1847 Hieraspiza superciliosa (Linnaeus, 1766) [proposed by Olsen, 2006; see text] The tiny hawk (Microspizias superciliosus) is a small diurnal bird of prey found primarily around humid forests of the Neotropics.

The tiny hawk was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Falco superciliosus.

[7] In 2021, a phylogenetic study found it and the semicollared hawk to form a distinct group from the rest of Accipiter, that is sister to Kaupifalco.

The birds range in weight from 75 to 120 g (2.6 to 4.2 oz) As with most raptors, there is considerable sexual dimorphism in size, with females measuring up to 25% longer and as much as 60% heavier than males.

Unlike most accipiters, the tiny hawk's tail is quite short; it is squared or notched at the tip.

The call of the tiny hawk is a shrill, high-pitched, somewhat quavery series of 20–30 notes of uneven pitch.

After an initial few accelerating notes, the call settles into a steady rhythm, variously transcribed as caucau-ca-ca-ca, keer-keer-keer or kree-ree-ree-ree.

[6] On clear mornings (and occasionally in late afternoons), the tiny hawk will sometimes sun itself on a high open branch.

It hunts hummingbirds and small passerines, typically darting out from a place of concealment to snatch them as they pass by, but also ambushing them when the smaller birds are perched.

Breeding season may vary by location, February through June from Panama to Colombia and October to January in the southern part of the range.