Doria's Hawk
Megatriorchis doriae
A large, inconspicuous raptor of lowlands and foothill forest interior. Brown back and long tail with strong barring, pale underparts with strong sparse streaking, pale eye-brow and a thick dark eye-stripe. Ambushes birds from a perched position. Has been known to take bird-of-paradise at lek sites. Similar to Long-tailed Honey-buzzard, but Doria’s Goshawk doesn’t soar, is slightly larger with a dark eye and yellow rather than white legs. Call, a short, slow series of strong, shreaking calls.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Megatriorchis doriae
- Authority
- Salvadori & D'Albertis, 1875
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Megatriorchis
Range and habitat
Doria's goshawk is endemic to lowland rainforests of New Guinea and Batanta Island. This bird is rarely seen and there is little record of it because the bird is not easily noticed and does not draw attention to itself. This is partly because of its camouflage and its other habits. After being monitored for seven years observation at Tabubil, Western Province of Papua New Guinea, there was only one sighting of the bird. The bird’s habitat is more specifically the New Guinea lowlands, as well as shrubs or trees that grow mainly in coastal saline or brackish water, seasonal tropical forests. Its habit is to be below forest cover or shade. The bird does not fly or rise high in the air. The bird's habitat has been decreasing as deforestation continues.[citation needed]
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
Due to ongoing habitat loss, Doria's goshawk is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES. The conservation status of this species is that it is close to meeting the requirements for a threatened category in the future. The habitat of Doria’s goshawk was destroyed, which has a direct impact on its small and declining population. >
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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Eastern Paradise-Whydah
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The largest bird in South America; resembles an ostrich and is unmistakable. Flightless and appears tailless. Mostly gray-brown overall with very long legs and neck and a proportionally small head. Males have a dark brown crown and blackish lower neck and upperparts. Females have lighter plumage. Juveniles look similar to adults but are smaller. Inhabits open areas with scattered trees and shrubs, such as savannas and pampas, where it can gather in large groups. The males are responsible for incubating the eggs and looking after the chicks.
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