Road construction in several forests has resulted in substantial habitat alteration and fragmentation. Construction of recreation facilities has been proposed for the western and northern sides of the Caribbean National Forest, areas where this species occur. Populations of the Puerto Rican broad-winged hawk are restricted only to three montane forests. There might be a long-term reduction in effective population size caused by hurricane damage to their habitat. In adults, the tail is broadly banded with black and white, and the rufous breast are characteristic.
Immature birds have dark bars on the breast and lack the distinctive tail bands of the adult.
Surveys were conducted during this time to include yearlings. The land areas were divided into 2.4 km 2 . Three Broad-winged Hawk counts were conducted in Rio Abajo Forest, two in Carite Forest, and two in Luquillo Forest. Populations were found in all three areas. The spatial pattern of Broad-winged Hawks was clumped.