Ornithological handbooks introduce the Taiwan hawk as Milvus migrans formusanus, a subspecies unique to Taiwan. Among birds of prey it is in the middle in terms of body size. It is most readily distinguished by its wiry claws and split tail.
綜合坊間動物圖鑑的介紹，台灣的老鷹，屬於台灣特有亞種（Milvus migrans formosanus），體型在猛禽中屬於中等，指爪纖細，開岔的尾部是最容易辨識的特徵。