Pacific baza

Pacific 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. subcristata
Population statistics
Conservation status	Least concern

The Pacific baza (Aviceda subcristata) is a species of bird of prey of the family Accipitridae, and native to New Guinea and Australia, and adjacent islands.

Description

Pacific bazas are medium-sized, slender raptors, with a length of 14 to 18 inches, a wingspan of 31 to 41 inches, and weighs 9.2 to 15.9 ounces. Females are slightly larger than males. Adult birds have a light gray neck and head, and bear an erectile crest at the nape, slate gray to black in color with a white base; the head itself is small in proportion to the rest of the body and bears a minor "dome" on front, giving the bird a dove-like appearance. The upper plumage is silver gray, the back, rump and upper tail and the tail - nearly as long as the body - are blue-gray. The underside of the body is light gray from the chin to the lower breast, but in many individuals the area of ​​the throat is slightly reddish-brown. The belly, flanks and thighs are whitish to creamy white with a striking reddish-brown to black-brown transverse banding. The lower legs, the rump and lower tail and underwing coverts are light reddish brown. The beak is dark gray to black, the iris is yellow and the legs and feet are blue-gray to whitish or pale yellow.

Juvenile birds are more brown than grey, with a scaly look overall. The tail has three darker transverse bands. Chin and throat are whitish, the rest of the underside is creamy white with a denser dark brown transverse banding. It also bears a short white eye stripe, which is missing in the adult birds.

Subspecies

• Aviceda subcristata bismarckii; eastern Bismarck Archipelago.
• Aviceda subcristata coultasi; Bismarck Archipelago: Admiralty Island.
• Aviceda subcristata gurneyi; Solomon Islands.
• Aviceda subcristata megala; New Guinea: northern and eastern lowlands, Yapen Island (in Geelvink Bay), d’Entrecasteaux Archipelago.
• Aviceda subcristata obscura; Biak Island: Geelvink Bay.
• Aviceda subcristata pallida; southern Moluccas: Seram Laut, Kai islands.
• Aviceda subcristata reinwardtii; central Moluccas: Seram and western satellites (Boana, Ambon, Haruku).
• Aviceda subcristata rufa; northern Moluccas: Halmahera and associated islands south to Bacan and Obi islands.
• Aviceda subcristata stenozona; western Papuan Islands (Misool); New Guinea: western and southern lowlands; Aru Island.
• Aviceda subcristata stresemanni; central Moluccas: Beru Island.
• Aviceda subcristata subcristata; northern and eastern Australian mainland.
• Aviceda subcristata timorlaoensis; islands off southern Sulawesi, and Lesser Sundas (east to Damar, Babar and Tanimbar islands).
• Aviceda subcristata waigeuensis; western Papuan Islands: (Waigeo).

Diet

The Pacific baza is omnivorous, readily feeding on fruits such as figs as well as animal prey. It feeds on insects and their larvae, tree frogs, snakes, lizards, small birds and chicks.

When hunting the Pacific baza either hunts from a perch or on the wing, hunting at forest edges, forest clearings, along sparse tree-lined slopes and along watercourses and roads. It has been known to mimic the call of tree frogs, using their responses as an aid in locating them.

Breeding

The breeding season falls in the period from October to February. In the Australian state of Queensland, eggs were found as early as mid-September. The chicks are usually fledged in the period from early November to mid-February. Pair bonds are monogamous.

Pacific bazas usually nest in forest areas along river or stream runs. Observations, especially in Australia, suggest that a couple defends a territory all year round. The nest is cup-shaped and is made up of twigs and small twigs and laid out with fresh eucalyptus leaves. The outer diameter of the nest is up to eighteen inches wide and six inches deep, with the interior bowl is four to five inches deep and lined with leaves. In exceptional cases, the nests are also significantly larger, with one well over three by three feet. Both parents build the nest, which is only used once; these nests are flimsy do not last a year, succumbing to weather after the breeding season.

The size of the clutch has not yet been conclusively studied, but it seems that it usually consists of two to three eggs. Both parent birds incubate, with the females spending more time at the nest than males, which lasts 29 to 33 days. From hatching to fledge is 32 to 35 days, with both parents feeding.