- Macheiramphus alcinus
Identification
45 cm. Falconine silhouette. Dark brown or black, white patch on throat and chest, white streak above and below each eye, long wings. Juveniles are mottled brown and have more white plumage than adults.
Distribution
Africa, west and central Ethiopia and has been recorded in Somalia.
Taxonomy
Generally uncommon over most of range. In Africa (subspecies anderssoni ) breeds from Senegal and Gambia east to southern Uganda and southern Kenya and south to northern Namibia in the west and Natal in the east.
In southern Asia occurs as subspecies alcinus from southern Thailand and Myanmar south to Malaysia, in Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and as subspecies papuanus in south-eastern New Guinea. Resident.
Habitat
Tropical forest and woodlands with adjacent open areas, sometimes occurs close to towns.
Behaviour
The diet includes mainly bats, also small birds and insects.
The nest is built from sticks and the eggs are incubated by the female for about 28 days. Both parents feed the young which fledge 30-45 days later.
