Frances's sparrowhawk

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Frances's sparrowhawk
Francess sparrowhawk cropped.jpg
Nominate race
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Tachyspiza
Species:
T. francesiae
Binomial name
Tachyspiza francesiae
(Smith, A, 1834)
Subspecies
  • T. f. francesiae - (Smith, A, 1834)
  • T. f. griveaudi - (Benson, 1960)
  • T. f. pusillus - (Gurney, JH Sr, 1875)
  • T. f. brutus - (Schlegel, 1865)
Synonyms [2]

Accipiter francesii

Frances's sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza francesiae) is a small bird of prey. This species was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter . The nominate subspecies, T. f. francesiae, is endemic to Madagascar, and the other subspecies are found in the Comoro Islands. The Anjouan sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza francesiae pusillus), also known as the Anjouan Island sparrowhawk, Ndzuwani goshawk or Joanna Island goshawk, was thought to be extinct until searches in the 1980s and in 2005 confirmed that it is still extant.

Contents

The name "Frances's sparrowhawk" commemorates Lady Frances Cole (died 1847), wife of the Cape Colony governor Galbraith Lowry Cole.

Taxonomy

Frances's sparrowhawk was formally described in 1834 by the Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith under the binomial name Accipiter francesii. Smith designated the type locality as Madagascar and thanked Lady Frances Cole for providing the specimen. [3] [4] Lady Frances Cole was the wife of Galbraith Lowry Cole, Governor of the Cape Colony from 1828 to 1833. [5] Under the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, the specific epithet has been changed from francesii to francesiae. [6]

Frances's sparrowhawk was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter . In 2024 a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the Accipitridae confirmed earlier work that had shown that the genus was polyphyletic. To resolve the non-monophyly, Accipiter was divided into five genera. [7] [8] The genus Tachyspiza was resurrected to accommodate Frances's sparrowhawk together with 26 other species that had previously been placed in Accipiter. The genus Tachyspiza had been introduced in 1844 by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup. [9] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek ταχυς (takhus) meaning "fast" with σπιζιας (spizias) meaning "hawk". [10]

Four subspecies are recognised: [9]

Description

Frances's sparrowhawk is grey with a light belly. It has orange eyes and feet, a yellow cere and a black beak. The size of each hawk varies from 28 – 35 cm for a male and 104 – 140 g for a female 112 – 185 g and their wingspan is around 40 – 54 cm. The races from the Comoro Islands are smaller and more rufous than the nominate from Madagascar.

Both sexes of the Anjouan sparrowhawk resemble the male of the nominate race of Frances's sparrowhawk from Madagascar, but are markedly smaller and lack most of the barring on the underside. Males have a wingspan of 135–149 millimetres (5.3–5.9 in) and a tail 99–188 mm (3.9–7.4 in) long, while females are larger, having a wingspan of 155–163 mm (6.1–6.4 in) and a tail length of 113–125 mm (4.4–4.9 in). Both sexes have white underparts, grey upperparts, dark-greyish wings, and dark barring on the tail. [11]

Distribution and habitat

Frances's sparrowhawk is found in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. They live in dense forests, large gardens, parks and coconut plantations. They live mostly on the edges of forests.

Behaviour

Food and feeding

The hawks feed on a range of prey including mammals, birds, lizards, frogs, and large insects. They knock small mammals, lizards and frog off trees or trunks of trees to shock them and then make the kill. They generally attack flying insects and birds flying straight towards the prey and catching them in mid-flight.

Breeding

The sparrowhawks build large stick nests in the upper fork of large trees usually 5 - 15m from the ground. The location of the nests change from year to year and they usually breed in October to December the clutch varies from 3 - 4 eggs they measure around 37 x 29 mm but the average survival rate of the eggs is 1.5. Eggs usually have different and unique marking on them. The eggs are usually a greyish-white.

Threats

Frances's sparrowhawk has no real predators. At one point during the 1900s to 1980s due to the prevalence of a chemical poison the species saw a large population decline . After these chemicals were banned, the hawks' numbers slowly increased and now it is estimated that more than 32,000 breeding pairs that live throughout Madagascar. Traditional hunting still occurs.

Conservation status

Illustration of the Anjouan subspecies from 1864 Accipiter francesiae pusillus.jpg
Illustration of the Anjouan subspecies from 1864

Due to extensive hunting and habitat loss during the 20th century, the Anjouan sparrowhawk became extremely rare by the late 1950s. Only one individual was found in a month-long survey in 1958 and the population was estimated at between one and ten birds. [12] Another expedition in 1965 spent 3 days on Ndzuwani without encountering the bird (although no dedicated effort was made, and the sparrowhawk's key habitat was not visited); the authors remarked that other subspecies were "extremely tame". [13]

In the period until 1907, 44 specimens were taken, [14] one of which is on display in the Zoological Museum of the University of Zurich, Switzerland. The last population lived in the mountainous central uplands, but between 1958 and 1977, no sightings were made. [14]

Other subspecies of Frances's sparrowhawk on other islands in the Comoros have not suffered the same losses. [15] One possible cause is the deforestation caused by human population growth; T. f. griveaudii has declined recently on Grande Comore, [14] [15] coinciding with a significant increase in the human population, while T. f. brutus is still common on Mayotte where extensive lowland forest remains, [15] and human population density is around 75% of that on Ndzuwani.

One individual is seen in the BBC series "Unknown Africa Episode 1: The Comoros" when the film crew is taken to a remnant rain forest patch on Anjouan by the director of Action Comores in search of Livingstone's flying fox.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accipitridae</span> Family of birds of prey

The Accipitridae is one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes, and is a family of small to large birds of prey with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a few feeding on fruit. The Accipitridae have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found on all the world's continents and a number of oceanic island groups. Some species are migratory. The family contains 255 species which are divided into 70 genera.

<i>Accipiter</i> Genus of birds

Accipiter is a genus of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. With around 50 recognized species it is the most diverse genus in its family. Most species are called goshawks or sparrowhawks, although with the exception of the American goshawk almost all New World species are simply known as "hawks". They can be anatomically distinguished from their relatives by the lack of a procoracoid foramen. Two small and aberrant species usually placed here do possess a large procoracoid foramen and are also distinct as regards DNA sequence. They may warrant separation in the old genus Hieraspiza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circaetinae</span> Subfamily of birds

Circaetinae is a subfamily of the family Accipitridae which contains of a group of medium to large broad-winged birds of prey. The group is sometimes treated as tribe Circaetini. These birds mainly specialise in feeding on snakes and other reptiles, which is the reason most are referred to as "snake-eagles" or "serpent-eagles". The exceptions are the bateleur, a more generalised hunter, and the Philippine eagle, which preys on mammals and birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accipitrinae</span> Subfamily of birds

The Accipitrinae are the subfamily of the Accipitridae often known as the "true" hawks, including all members of Accipiter and the closely related genera Erythrotriorchis, and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread genus Accipiter includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, the sharp-shinned hawk and others. They are primarily woodland birds that hunt by sudden dashes from a concealed perch, with long tails, broad wings and high visual acuity facilitating this lifestyle. In light of recent genetic research, the kites of the traditional subfamily Milvinae may also belong to this group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shikra</span> Species of bird

The shikra is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the little banded goshawk. The African forms may represent a separate species but have usually been considered as subspecies of the shikra. The shikra is very similar in appearance, as well as behavior, at least to some degree, to other species including the Chinese sparrowhawk, Eurasian goshawk and Eurasian sparrowhawk. They have a sharp two note call and have the typical flap and glide flight. Their calls are imitated by drongos and the common hawk-cuckoo resembles it in plumage. This species was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crested goshawk</span> Species of bird

The crested goshawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is widely distributed in tropical Asia. It was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levant sparrowhawk</span> Species of bird

The Levant sparrowhawk is a small bird of prey. It measures 32–38 cm (13–15 in) in length with a wingspan of 65–75 cm (26–30 in). The female is larger than the male, but the difference is not as marked as with Eurasian sparrowhawk. The adult male is blue-grey above, with dark wingtips, and barred reddish below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese sparrowhawk</span> Species of bird

The Chinese sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza soloensis) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. This species was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey goshawk</span> Species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae

The grey goshawk is a strongly built, medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is found in eastern and northern Australia. The white morph of this species is known as the white goshawk. This species was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiny hawk</span> Species of bird

The tiny hawk is a small diurnal bird of prey found in or near forests, primarily humid, throughout much of the Neotropics. It is primarily a bird-eater, and is known to prey on hummingbirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicolored hawk</span> Species of bird

The bicolored hawk is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in forest, woodland, second growth, plantations, and wooded savanna in southeastern Mexico, Central America, and northern and central South America. Though generally uncommon, it is the most common species of Astur in most of its range, but it does not occur at altitudes above 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) such as the highest parts of the Andes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut-flanked sparrowhawk</span> Species of bird

The chestnut-flanked sparrowhawk is a small west African species of sparrowhawk in the family Accipitridae. This species was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henst's goshawk</span> Species of bird

Henst's goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is a large, diurnal bird endemic to the island of Madagascar. It is an obligate forest species that occurs at very low densities on the island and is rarely seen. It can only occupy the primary and secondary forests found within the island. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and plantations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madagascar sparrowhawk</span> Species of bird

The Madagascar sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-breasted sparrowhawk</span> Species of bird

The rufous-breasted sparrowhawk, also known as the rufous-chested sparrowhawk and as the red-breasted sparrowhawk, is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harpiinae</span> Subfamily of birds

The Harpiinae is a bird of prey subfamily which consists of large broad-winged species native to tropical forests. There are 4 genera in the subfamily, all monotypic.

<i>Lophospiza</i> Genus of birds

Lophospiza is a genus of Asian birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. The two species placed in this genus were formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<i>Tachyspiza</i> Genus of birds

Tachyspiza is a genus containing goshawks and sparrowhawk in the family Accipitridae. The species were formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<i>Astur</i> (genus) Genus of birds

Astur is a genus containing hawks, goshawks and sparrowhawk in the family Accipitridae. The species were formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

<i>Aerospiza</i> Genus of birds

Aerospiza is a genus containing goshawks and a sparrowhawk in the family Accipitridae that are found in Africa. The three species in the genus were formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Accipiter francesiae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22695508A93513268. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22695508A93513268.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Frances's Goshawk". Avibase.
  3. ↑ Smith, Andrew (1834). "African Zoology". South African Quarterly Journal. 2 (3): 273-288 [280].
  4. ↑ Mayr, Ernst; Cottrell, G. William, eds. (1979). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 328.
  5. ↑ Jobling, James A. "francesiae". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "Article 31. Species-group names: Art. 31.1.2". International Code Of Zoological Nomenclature (4th ed.). International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 1999.
  7. ↑ Catanach, T.A.; Halley, M.R.; Pirro, S. (2024). "Enigmas no longer: using ultraconserved elements to place several unusual hawk taxa and address the non-monophyly of the genus Accipiter (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae)". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society: blae028. doi:10.1093/biolinnean/blae028.
  8. ↑ Mindell, D.; Fuchs, J.; Johnson, J. (2018). "Phylogeny, taxonomy, and geographic diversity of diurnal raptors: Falconiformes, Accipitriformes, and Cathartiformes". In Sarasola, J.H.; Grange, J.M.; Negro, J.J. (eds.). Birds of Prey: Biology and conservation in the XXI century. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. pp. 3–32. ISBN   978-3-319-73744-7.
  9. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Hoatzin, New World vultures, Secretarybird, raptors". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  10. ↑ Jobling, James A. "Tachyspiza". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  11. ↑ James Ferguson-Lees & David A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN   0-618-12762-3.
  12. ↑ Constantine Walter Benson (1960). "The birds of the Comoro Islands: results of the British Ornithologists' Union centenary expedition". Ibis . 103: 5–106. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1960.tb03677.x.
  13. ↑ A. D. Forbes-Watson (1969). "Notes on the birds observed in the Comoros on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution" (PDF). Atoll Research Bulletin. 128: 1–23.
  14. 1 2 3 Warren B. King (1978–1979). Red Data Book 2: Aves (2nd ed.). Morges, Switzerland: IUCN.
  15. 1 2 3 Alan C. Kemp (1994). "104. Frances's Sparrowhawk". In Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott & Jordi Sargatal (ed.). Handbook of Birds of the World, Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. p.  149, pl. 11. ISBN   84-87334-15-6.
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