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The male has a dark brown crown, yellow eyes, grey head sides and dark moustachial and mesial stripes. The pale underparts are patterned with rufous streaks on the breast and bars on the belly. | The male has a dark brown crown, yellow eyes, grey head sides and dark moustachial and mesial stripes. The pale underparts are patterned with rufous streaks on the breast and bars on the belly. | ||
| − | The larger female has | + | The larger female has browner head sides and brown underpart streaks and bars. |
| − | The juvenile has pale fringes to its head feathers, and the underpart background colour is buff rather than white. Juvenile also have pale grey eyes and lack dark mesial stripe | + | The juvenile has pale fringes to its head feathers, and the underpart background colour is buff rather than white. Juvenile also have pale grey eyes and lack the dark mesial stripe. |
====Similar Species==== | ====Similar Species==== | ||
[[Image:Crested_Goshawk_juv.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|Jason+Tan|Jason Tan}}<br /> Kuala Lumpur, [[Malaysia]] ]] | [[Image:Crested_Goshawk_juv.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|Jason+Tan|Jason Tan}}<br /> Kuala Lumpur, [[Malaysia]] ]] | ||
Revision as of 14:30, 16 August 2015
- Accipiter trivirgatus
Identification
This raptor has short broad wings and a long tail, both adaptations to manoeuvring through trees. It is 30-46cm in length, with the female much larger than the male.
The male has a dark brown crown, yellow eyes, grey head sides and dark moustachial and mesial stripes. The pale underparts are patterned with rufous streaks on the breast and bars on the belly.
The larger female has browner head sides and brown underpart streaks and bars.
The juvenile has pale fringes to its head feathers, and the underpart background colour is buff rather than white. Juvenile also have pale grey eyes and lack the dark mesial stripe.
Similar Species
The larger size and a short crest are the best distinctions from its relative, the Besra, Accipiter virgatus.
Distribution
Southern Asia: breeds in western India and Sri Lanka and from north-east India and the Himalayas east to south-central and southern China and Taiwan, south to the Malay Peninsula. Also occurs on Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the southern Philippine islands of Palawan, Negros, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao as well as numerous smaller islands. Resident.
Taxonomy
The Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.
Subspecies
There are 11 subspecies[1]:
- A. t. indicus: India and Nepal to southern China, Indochina and Malay Peninsula
- A. t. peninsulae: South-western India
- A. t. layardi: Sri Lanka
- A. t. formosae: Taiwan
- A. t. trivirgatus: Sumatra
- A. t. niasensis: Nias Island (off western Sumatra)
- A. t. javanicus: Java (vagrant to Bali)
- A. t. microstictus: Borneo
- A. t. palawanus: South-western Philippines (Palawan and Calamianes)
- A. t. extimus: South-eastern Philippine Islands
- A. t. castroi: Polillo (off Luzon in northern Philippines)
Habitat
Lowland and hill forest up to about 2,000 m.
Behaviour
The flight is a characteristic "slow flap, slow flap, straight glide" similar to other Accipiter species such as Northern Goshawk. Like its relatives, this secretive forest bird hunts birds, mammals and reptiles in woodland, relying on surprise as it flies from a perch to catch its prey unaware.
References
- Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Crested Goshawk. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 February 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Crested_Goshawk
