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Difference between revisions of "Crested Goshawk" - BirdForum Opus

(Flight picture. Photo captions. Taxonomy. References)
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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.  
 
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, grey head sides and black moustachial and throat 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 a browner head and brown underpart streaks and bars.
 
The larger female has a browner head 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.
+
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 at throat.
 
====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]] ]]
 
The larger size and a short crest are the best distinctions from its relative, the [[Besra]], ''Accipiter virgatus''.
 
The larger size and a short crest are the best distinctions from its relative, the [[Besra]], ''Accipiter virgatus''.
 +
 
==Distribution==
 
==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 [[Philippines|Philippine]] islands of Palawan, Negros, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao as well as numerous smaller islands. Resident.
 
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 [[Philippines|Philippine]] islands of Palawan, Negros, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao as well as numerous smaller islands. Resident.

Revision as of 14:18, 16 August 2015

Photo by Peter Ericsson
Khao Yai, Thailand, March 2006
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 a browner head 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 at throat.

Similar Species

Juvenile
Photo by Jason Tan
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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.

Photo by Zep
Lamma Island, Hong Kong, China, January 2007

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

Photo by aritervo
Thaimaa, Phuket, Thailand, December 2007

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

  1. 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

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