Rufous-breasted sparrowhawk

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Rufous-breasted sparrowhawk
Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk (Accipiter rufiventris).jpg
Just after it had caught something in the late afternoon, Cedara Farm, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Accipiter
Species:
A. rufiventris
Binomial name
Accipiter rufiventris
Smith, 1830
Subspecies [2]
  • A. r. perspicillaris - (Rüppell, 1836)
  • A. r. rufiventris - Smith, A, 1830

The rufous-breasted sparrowhawk (Accipiter rufiventris), 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.

Contents

Description

A small raptor, with a height of about 30 cm and wingspan of 72 cm, the rufous-breasted sparrowhawk is named for its distinctive rufous-coloured underparts, which can be seen both perching and in flight. It is dark grey slate-brown above, including the head, with a black bill and eyes that are yellow at all ages. [3]

In flight, the bold bars on both its wings and tail are clearly visible. Juvenile plumage ranges from the rufous-color of adults to more white, but all have feathers with dark shaft streaks on their underside. It can be differentiated from the similar Ovambo sparrowhawk (Accipiter ovampensis) by its lack of a dark patch behind the eyes or white eyebrow. [4]

Taxonomy

The rufous-breasted sparrowhawk is in the family Accipitridae, and is a part of the genus Accipiter , which contains sparrowhawks, goshawks, and other small woodland hawks. Within this genus it forms a superspecies with the Eurasian sparrowhawk (A. nisus) and possibly the Madagascar sparrowhawk (A. madagascariensis) (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001). Recent DNA barcoding research found it to be potentially conspecific with A. nisus, but did not support a superspecies with A. madagascariensis. [5]

Habitat and distribution

The rufous-breasted sparrowhawk has the most restricted range of any southern African accipiter, though it has expanded with the introduction of non-native pine species. [6] It occupies montane forest habitats from the Cape of Good Hope to the Ethiopian highlands, though locally its range is quite small and divided between forest patches. [4]

Behavior

The rufous-breasted sparrowhawk shares many behavioral qualities with other African and European accipiters, but virtually nothing is known of its diet and nestling development. [6]

Vocalization

Its call is a series of high, fast “kew” notes, with the male being higher-pitched than the female. [3] A more drawn out “kieee-u” is made by the female to request food from the nearby male, and is adopted by the young as a begging call whenever adults are near. [4]

Diet

Usually hunts on the wing for doves and other small birds, but may occasionally strike from a perch to feed on insects, small mammals (including bats [7] ) and reptiles. [3]

Reproduction

Undergoes courtship by flying very high above the nesting area and calling, and mating often occurs after the male presents the female with an offer of food. Nests are platforms built from small sticks 6-18m above the ground, and are built by snapping off sticks in flight with their talons or by breaking them with their beak. A new nest is usually built each year, though often very close to the previous nesting site. Two to four eggs are laid in September and October, and are white with red-brown blotches that coalesce in a cap. Incubation is undergone primarily by the female, while the male fetches food, which is given to her in a nearby tree. [4]

Related Research Articles

Accipitridae 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 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.

Eurasian sparrowhawk Species of bird

The Eurasian sparrowhawk, also known as the northern sparrowhawk or simply the sparrowhawk, is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred underparts; females and juveniles are brown above with brown barring below. The female is up to 25% larger than the male – one of the greatest size differences between the sexes in any bird species. Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.

<i>Accipiter</i> Genus of birds

Accipiter is a genus of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. With 51 recognized species it is the most diverse genus in its family. Most species are called goshawks or sparrowhawks, although 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.

Accipitrinae 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 Melierax, Urotriorchis, 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.

Shikra 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 to other sparrowhawk species including the Chinese 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.

Levant sparrowhawk 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.

Japanese sparrowhawk Species of bird

The Japanese sparrowhawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.

Collared sparrowhawk Species of bird

The collared sparrowhawk is a small, slim bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found in Australia, New Guinea and nearby smaller islands. As its name implies the collared sparrowhawk is a specialist in hunting small birds. It is characterised by its slight brow ridges and slender feet. The last segment of their middle toe projects beyond the claws of the other toes.

Tiny hawk 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.

Bicolored hawk 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 Accipiter 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.

Chestnut-flanked sparrowhawk Species of bird

The chestnut-flanked sparrowhawk is a small west African species of sparrowhawk in the family Accipitridae.

Red-thighed sparrowhawk Species of bird

The red-thighed sparrowhawk, alternatively known as the red-legged sparrowhawk or the western little sparrowhawk is a species of sparrowhawk in the family Accipitridae from western and northern central Africa.

Hensts goshawk Species of bird

Henst's goshawk is a species a 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.

Madagascar sparrowhawk Species of bird

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

Black sparrowhawk Species of bird

The black sparrowhawk, sometimes known as the black goshawk or great sparrowhawk, is the largest African member of the genus Accipiter. It occurs mainly in forest and non-desert areas south of the Sahara, particularly where there are large trees suitable for nesting; favored habitat includes suburban and human-altered landscapes. It preys predominantly on birds of moderate size, such as pigeons and doves, in suburban areas.

Little sparrowhawk Species of bird

The little sparrowhawk is a species of Afrotropical bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the smallest member of the genus Accipiter and forms a superspecies with the red-thighed sparrowhawk.

Ovambo sparrowhawk Species of bird

The Ovambo or Ovampo sparrowhawk, also known as Hilgert's sparrowhawk, is a species of sub-Saharan African bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It takes its name from the Ovamboland in northern Namibia.

Grey-bellied hawk Species of bird

The grey-bellied hawk or grey-bellied goshawk is a fairly large and rare species of forest-dwelling South American bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

African goshawk Species of bird

The African goshawk is a species of African bird of prey in the genus Accipiter which is the type genus of the family Accipitridae.

Northern goshawk Species of bird

The northern goshawk is a species of medium-large raptor in the family Accipitridae, a family which also includes other extant diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. As a species in the genus Accipiter, the goshawk is often considered a "true hawk". The scientific name is Latin; Accipiter is "hawk", from accipere, "to grasp", and gentilis is "noble" or "gentle" because in the Middle Ages only the nobility were permitted to fly goshawks for falconry.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Accipiter rufiventris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22695630A93520985. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22695630A93520985.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.
  3. 1 2 3 Kemp, Alan (1998). Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands. Australia: New Holland Australia. pp. 160–161. ISBN   978-1859741009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Steyn, Peter (1982). Birds of Prey of Southern Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: David Phillip. pp. 157–159. ISBN   978-0709923824.
  5. ↑ Breman, Floris C.; Jordaens, Kurt; Sonet, Gontran; Nagy, Zoltán T.; Houdt, Jeroen Van; Louette, Michel (2012-09-23). "DNA barcoding and evolutionary relationships in Accipiter Brisson, 1760 (Aves, Falconiformes: Accipitridae) with a focus on African and Eurasian representatives". Journal of Ornithology. 154 (1): 265–287. doi:10.1007/s10336-012-0892-5. ISSN   2193-7192. S2CID   17933934.
  6. 1 2 Simmons, Robert (1986-03-01). "Food Provisioning, Nestling Growth and Experimental Manipulation of Brood Size in the African Redbreasted Sparrowhawk Accipiter rufiventris". Ornis Scandinavica. 17 (1): 31–40. doi:10.2307/3676750. JSTOR   3676750.
  7. ↑ Brown M (2007) Raptors eating bats. Gabar 18: 34–35.
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