Polyboroidinae
| Polyboroidinae | |
|---|---|
| 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 | Polyboroidinae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Polyboroides |
| Population statistics | |
Polyboroidinae refers to an African subfamily of birds of prey, containing one genera and two species commonly called "harrier-hawks".
Description
The harrier-hawks are medium-sized diurnal raptors, about 26 to 28 inches in length, with wingspans of up to 51 inches. They are predominately light grey in color, and in the Madagascar harrier-hawk, a whitish belly; both have thin, dark barring on their bellies and flanks. The broad, wide wings are light gray; on the leading half of both primaries and secondaries the feathers are black. The underwing coverts bear an additional thin barring. The face is yellow to whitish, with the front end of the beak black. The genders are similar. An unusual feature of these birds is the double articulation of the knees, which allows them to reach for hidden prey in cavities and crevices otherwise inaccessible.
Species
- African harrier-hawk, Polyboroides typus
- Madagascar harrier-hawk, Polyboroides radiatus
When hunting, these birds fly in a manner similar to harriers, i.e. they keep a short distance from the ground. They will also hunt on trees, hopping among the foliage or clinging to the bark of the trunks, looking inside cavities for insects, lizards, bats, eggs and small birds; in some parts of Africa they are seen clinging upside-down on the large nests of weaver birds as they hunt them, and they have been recently discovered to prey upon lemurs[1]. The articulation of the legs is constructed so as to be easily folded backwards at the intertarsal joint, allowing them to use the legs to reach inside and grab prey animals[2]. On the ground they move in search of ants, termites, frogs, snakes and small rodents. In some parts of Africa they prefer to eat plant items, such as palm nuts and coconuts.
