Accipitrinae

Accipitrinae
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Order	Accipitriformes
Sub-order	Accipitres
Family Information
Superfamily	Accipitroidea
Family	Accipitridae
Sub-family	Accipitrinae
Population statistics

Accipitrinae refers to 53 species of bird of prey, whose primary characteristic as opposed to the buteo or buzzard hawks is the ability to hunt in dense woodlands.

Description

Accipitrinae females are significantly larger than the males, the dimensions overlap only slightly. In some of the pure bird hunters, this reverse sex dimorphism is the most pronounced among all birds of prey. Among the smallest species, such as the tiny hawk (Accipiter superciliosus), the males have a length of 7.8 inches and a body weight of 2.1 ounces, while the female of largest species, the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), has a length of up to 24.8 inches long and a body weight of up to 4.8 pounds.

In almost all species, the top is very dark gray or blackish and the underside is a sharply contrasting light color, with finely transversed barring. In particular tropical species are often characterized by reddish tints on the underside and the neck very colorful. Flight and tail feathers are usually darkly banded. Young birds are generally much less strikingly colored and, on the other hand, mostly brownish and on the other side lighter brownish with dark lines.

The typical proportions are well recognizable even in the flight, almost all kinds also have a typical flight mode with some fast wing kicks and a subsequent short gliding phase. These hawks also show a very upright posture when perched, which often allows for the determination of the genus at a very great distance.

Range and habitat

Accipitrinae is represented on all continents except Antarctica, with most species living in the tropics. The greatest diversity of species is in Southeast Asia and Oceania, where numerous species are endemic on individual islands or groups of islands. All species show a close connection to forests or at least woody habitats.

Diet and hunting

Accipitrinae hunts their prey mainly from a short, fast pursuit flight near ground level upwards towards the canopy. Natural structures such as hedges, trees, and houses are also used very cleverly for a covered approach. Many species are specialized birdwatchers, but a number of other species kill a wide range of vertebrate animals as well as insects, with birds often only a small part of the diet.

Species

• Genus Accipiter

African goshawk, Accipiter tachiro

Besra, Accipiter virgatus

Bicoloured hawk, Accipiter bicolor

Black goshawk, Accipiter melanoleucus

Black-mantled goshawk, Accipiter melanochlamys

Brown goshawk, Accipiter fasciatus

Chestnut-flanked sparrowhawk, Accipiter castanilius

Chinese goshawk, Accipiter soloensis

Collared sparrowhawk, Accipiter cirrocephalus

Cooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii

Crested goshawk, Accipiter trivirgatus

Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus

Fiji goshawk, Accipiter rufitorques

Frances' sparrowhawk, Accipiter francesiae

Gray goshawk, Accipiter novaehollandiae

Gray-bellied goshawk, Accipiter poliogaster

Gray-headed goshawk, Accipiter poliocephalus

Gundlach's hawk, Accipiter gundlachi

Henst's goshawk, Accipiter henstii

Imitator sparrowhawk, Accipiter imitator

Japanese sparrowhawk, Accipiter gularis

Levant sparrowhawk, Accipiter brevipes

Little sparrowhawk, Accipiter minullus

Madagascar sparrowhawk, Accipiter madagascariensis

Meyer's goshawk, Accipiter meyerianus

Moluccan goshawk, Accipiter henicogrammus

New Britain goshawk, Accipiter princeps

Nicobar sparrowhawk, Accipiter butleri

Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis

Ovambo sparrowhawk, Accipiter ovampensis

Pied goshawk, Accipiter albogularis

Plain-breasted hawk, Accipiter striatus ventralis

Red-chested goshawk, Accipiter toussenelii

Red-thighed sparrowhawk, Accipiter erythropus

Rufous-chested sparrowhawk, Accipiter rufiventris

Rufous-necked sparrowhawk, Accipiter erythrauchen

Rufous-thighed hawk, Accipiter striatus erythronemius

Semicollared hawk, Accipiter collaris

Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus

Shikra, Accipiter badius

Slaty-mantled sparrowhawk, Accipiter luteoschistaceus

Small sparrowhawk, Accipiter nanus

Spot-tailed goshawk, Accipiter trinotatus

Sulawesi goshawk, Accipiter griseiceps

Tiny hawk, Accipiter superciliosus

Vinous-breasted sparrowhawk, Accipiter rhodogaster

White-bellied goshawk, Accipiter haplochrous

White-breasted hawk, Accipiter striatus chionogaster

• Genus Erythrotriorchis

Chestnut-shouldered goshawk, Erythrotriorchis buergersi

Red goshawk, Erythrotriorchis radiatus

• Genus Megatriorchis

Doria's goshawk, Megatriorchis doriae

• Genus Micronisus

Gabar goshawk, Micronisus gabar

• Genus Urotriorchis

Long-tailed hawk, Urotriorchis macrourus