Madagascar Sparrowhawk
Accipiter madagascariensis
Typical medium-sized sparrowhawk. Adults are gray on the back with fine gray barring below; females much larger. Immatures have a brown back and thick streaks below. Endemic to Madagascar, where it is a rare and elusive resident of all types of forest. Rarely sits in the open or soars. Can be very hard to separate from male Henst’s Goshawk and female or immature Frances’s Sparrowhawk. On Madagascar Sparrowhawk, look for an unbarred undertail coverts, fine throat streaks, and a bizarrely long central toe. Adults also separated from Frances’s Sparrowhawk by gray rather than reddish barring below.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Accipiter madagascariensis
- Authority
- Verreaux, J, 1833
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Accipiter
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Trocaz Pigeon
Columba trocaz
Endemic to the island of Madeira, where it is largely restricted to native laurel and tree heath forests. Body is largely gray with a purple-pink breast, and a noticeable silvery patch with black streaks on the side of the neck. The iris is yellow with a red ring around the eyes. Compare with the only other pigeon on the island, the Rock Pigeon; note differences in structure, color, and habitat preference. Song is a series of very low, groaning coos.
American Goshawk
Astur atricapillus
Powerfully-built forest-dwelling hawk, scarce across much of range. Adults are distinctive if seen well: bulky and broad-winged, gray above and whitish below with fine barring, prominent pale eyebrow, and dark reddish eye. Immature very similar to Cooper's Hawk, but larger and more powerful, with broader wings and tail, usually more obvious pale eyebrow (but Cooper’s can have this, too!), and heavy streaking below extending onto undertail coverts. In most suburban areas, Cooper's is much more likely; goshawk typically requires extensive mature forest. Very aggressive around the nest. Feeds on large prey such as hares and grouse.
Black-hooded Oriole
Oriolus xanthornus
A distinctive medium-sized yellow bird with a black head and breast, black flight feathers, and a red bill. In flight, the black band towards the tail tip is visible. Juvenile is duller overall with a white streaked throat and a darker bill. Often feeds on fruiting trees with a preference for figs in wooded gardens, groves, and open forests. The song is rich, fluty, and mellow. Calls include raspy, nasal notes that can sound like a croak.
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