Grey-headed goshawk
The grey-headed goshawk (Accipiter poliocephalus) is a lightly built, medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
| Grey-headed goshawk | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Genus: | Accipiter |
| Species: | A. poliocephalus |
| Binomial name | |
| Accipiter poliocephalus (Gray, 1858) | |
Description
The upperparts are grey, paler on the head and neck; the wings are dark; the underparts are mainly white; the cere and legs are red-orange. The body is 30–38 cm long; females are larger than males. Juveniles have dark brown wings.
Distribution and habitat
The grey-headed goshawk is endemic to New Guinea and adjacent islands. It has been recorded from Saibai Island, Queensland, an Australian territory in the north-western Torres Strait. It lives in forests, forest edges and secondary growth.
Breeding
This species nests in tall trees on a platform of sticks and leaves.
Feeding
It eats small reptiles and insects.
References
- BirdLife International (2012). "Accipiter poliocephalus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: Accipiter poliocephalus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/12/2006
- Coates, B.J. (1985), The Birds of Papua New Guinea, Vol. 1, Non-Passerines. Dove: Alderley, Queensland. ISBN 0-9590257-0-7
- Morcombe, Michael. (2000). Field Guide to Australian Birds. Steve Parish Publishing: Queensland. ISBN 1-876282-10-X
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