Malagasy Kestrel
Falco newtoni
Typical kestrel with a rufous back, barred tail, and dark “moustache” mark on the face. Can be rufous or white on the underparts. Found throughout Madagascar in almost all habitats except thick forest. Conspicuous in towns and villages, where it often nests on buildings. Spends much of its time on the wing, often hovering. Call is a high, repeated “keek.” Smaller and slimmer than Banded Kestrel, rufous rather than gray, and without broad bars on the belly.
识别特征
It can reach a size of 30 cm. The wings are 180 mm to 195 mm at the males and 188 mm to 203 mm at the females. The males can reach a weight between 112 and 118 grams. The weight of the females is up to 128 grams. The head and the nape of the males is rufous grey with dark streaks. A dark moustachial streak running from the basis of the bill backwards to sides of the throat. The upperparts and the wingcoverts are chestnut with black spots. The uppertail coverts are grey with blackish spots. The long flight feathers are blackish brown, the inner webs are covered with white and chestnut spots. The underparts are whitish. The short flight feathers are chestnut coloured and dark banded. The chest, belly and underwing coverts are covered with black spots. The tail is grey coloured. It has six to seven narrow black bars and a broad subterminal bar. All feathers have white tips. In addition there is a rufous phase. At this morph the head and nape are almost black. Body and underwing coverts are dark chestnut brown with black streaks and spots. The throat exhibits a buffish-white hue. The underwing coverts are greyish white and spotted black. The head of the females is stronger chestnut coloured. The underparts are more spotted and the tail is brown with black bars. Both sexes exhibits a slate grey bill with a black tip. The cere is yellow. The legs are either yellow or bright orange (rufous morph). The juveniles are similar coloured as the females.<p>The Aldabra kestrel looks similar to the Malagasy kestrel but it is slightly smaller. The wings are 170 mm to 183 mm at the males and 177 mm to 186 mm at the females. Some females exhibit entirely white underparts.
分类信息
- 学名
- Falco newtoni
- 命名信息
- (Gurney, JH Sr, 1863)
- 目
- Falconiformes
- 科
- Falconidae
- 属
- Falco
分布与栖息地
The Malagasy kestrel has a large range of occurrence and it is native to Madagascar, Mayotte, and the Comores. It is a breeding resident on Madagascar where it occurs in savannas and wetlands but also artificial landscapes in the vicinity of human settlements in altitudes from 0 to 2000 asl. It is uncommon in forests. The habitat of the Aldabra kestrel is the Aldabran Island of Grande Terre but there is also an evidence for the island of Anjouan at the Comores.<p>The Malagasy kestrel usually nests on rock ledges, in buildings, in tree holes, or in the stick nests of other birds, such as the pied crow. Four to six eggs are laid, usually in September, and are incubated by the female only, who is fed by the male at regular intervals during incubation.<p>Insects take up the majority of the Malagasy kestrel's diet, which are usually taken during flight, but it also occasionally eats small birds, frogs, and mammals, all of which are taken on the ground. It hunts from a low perch, hawking or hovering with the wing, at dawn or dusk.<p>The Malagasy kestrel's call consists of a sharp scream of iitsi, kitsi, kitsi, kitsi or a loud repeated twitter.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
保护状况
- 种群趋势
- rising
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk
Tachyspiza rhodogaster
A small hawk with yellow eyes, a lime-green bill base, and yellow legs. Adults are slate-gray above with a vinous breast and dirty white belly and thighs. Immatures are rufous above with diagnostic bold blackish spots and bars and heavily streaked pale underparts. Does not soar. Found primarily in forest from coast to mountains, but also in mangroves and woodlands. Confined to Sulawesi and nearby islands, including the Banggai and Sula Islands. Adult mostly inseparable from Small Sparrowhawk except by call, but largest female Vinous-breasted are longer-bodied, larger-billed, longer-tailed, and longer-toed than largest Small Sparrowhawk. Pale eyes separate Vinous-breasted from Spot-tailed Goshawk and from adult Chinese and Japanese Sparrowhawks. Absence of white tail spots further distinguishes it from Spot-tailed Goshawk, and unbarred thighs separate it from adult Japanese Sparrowhawk. Heavily marked underwings further differentiate it from Chinese Sparrowhawk. Call is a “kew-kew-ke-ke-ke-ke, lower-pitched than Small Sparrowhawk.
Tawny Eagle
Aquila rapax
A medium-large, highly variable eagle that can range in overall color from whitish or creamy dull rufous to grayish-brown, and rarely dark brown. It has a moderately long gape line that stops at the center of the eye and slit-shaped nostrils. Legs are short and heavily feathered, with baggy “trousers.” Juveniles are generally paler than adults, while older immatures can have a dark hood and pale body. Mostly a bird of plains and open scrub; rarely seen over water, and avoids forests. Overall not as heavy looking as the Steppe Eagle, and never has a rich brown color tone.
Rufescent Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula chalconota
A fairly large pigeon of montane forest interior. Green rump, pale orange chest, deep rufous belly and black band in the tail. Forages for fruit, singly or in pairs in the upper or mid-canopy. Similar to Purple-tailed Imperial-Pigeon but Rufescent occurs at higher elevations and has more extensive gray on the sides of the neck. Papuan Mountain-Pigeon more likely to co-occur but Rufescent lacks the white chest and has green rather than grey back. Not very vocal. Call a mournful downslurred “wooo”.
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