Black baza
| Black Baza | |
|---|---|
| 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 | Perninae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Aviceda |
| Species Information | |
| Species | A. leuphotes |
| Population statistics | |
| Conservation status | Least concern[1] |
The black baza (Aviceda leuphotes) is a medium-sized bird of prey of the family Accipitridae, and found in much of the forested regions of southern and southeastern Asia.
Description
The black baza has a wingspan is about 3 feet, with an overall body length of 16 to 18 inches. Like other members of the genus Aviceda, it bears two distinctive tooth-like notches near the edge of the bill. Legs are short and stout, and bear powerful talons.
Males are black in color above, with some chestnut showing on the lower back, scapulars, and greater wing coverts. A black crest on the head is prominently displayed. The underside of the bird is black from the neck to upper chest, broken by a large patch of white. The lower chest to the belly is also white, with chestnut-colored horizontal bars; between the belly and tail the area of the legs is black in color. In flight the underside of the wings bear light-grey primaries, dark-grey secondaries and tertials, and black coverts.
Subspecies
- Aviceda leuphotes andamanica
- Aviceda leuphotes leuphotes
- Aviceda leuphotes syama
Habitat and range
The black baza occupies deciduous woodlands, both within the forest interior and scrub country. They are also seen near human habitations, hunting near clearings and farmed acreage.
The species is found throughout much of southern and southeastern Asia, from the Indian subcontinent to the larger islands of Indonesia, and northwards to southern China.
Diet
The black baza feeds on small reptiles and insects, and usually from a still-hunting position on a perch within the forest or at the forest edge on a clearing. Bats, birds, and small mammals also form an occasional part of the diet.
Breeding
The species breeds from February to June; what little observation was done indicates the birds choose nesting sites high in the tree canopy in dense forests and often near rivers, laying two to three eggs.
