Long-tailed Hawk
Urotriorchis macrourus
An aptly named hawk of lowland African forest, identifiable by its distinctive profile as it flies through open areas. This species’ long, black-and-white striped tail contrasts with its white vent and rump. Also shows a slate-gray back and head, solid rufous underparts, and a white throat. The rare dark morph appears blacker above, with slate-colored underparts. Gives a loud scream, one second long, that falls in pitch toward the end, often followed by a second, louder scream. Overlaps with the smaller Red-chested Goshawk, but note the disproportionately long tail.
Identification
The long-tailed hawk is a distinctively shaped raptor with a very noticeable long, barred tail and is dark grey on its upperparts and chestnut on its underparts with a contrasting white throat and undertail coverts. In flight the white flight feathers on the underwing are heavily barred with dark grey. There is a rare morph which has a grey breast, with a paler grey throat but still has the white undertail coverts. The bill is black, the eyes, cere, legs and feet are yellow. Juveniles are browner, with a white-breasted "plain" morph and a "marked" morph which has the breast streaked with brown. It has a wingspan of 81–90 centimetres (32–35 in) and a total length of 56–65 centimetres (22–26 in), including the tail of 30–37 centimetres (12–15 in). Females are about 15% larger than males. Since the tail comprises about 56% of this raptor's total length, this species ties with the cinereous harrier as the raptor with the longest tail relative to its body size.<p>It is a rather vocal bird which is often first detected by the long drawn out screech given by birds perched in the canopy.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Urotriorchis macrourus
- Authority
- (Hartlaub, 1855)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Urotriorchis
Range and habitat
The long-tailed hawk occurs in the tropical rainforests of western and central Africa, from Guinea in the west, along the Gulf of Guinea coast south to northern Angola, east to the southern Central African Republic, northern Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and western Uganda.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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