Hawks Kites and Eagles / Shikra

9/2/2010

Order : Falconiformes
Family : Accipitridae
Scientific Name : Accipiter badius

35cm in size. It is worth familiarising oneself with this, the commonest accipiter of the region, in order to use it as a benchmark for comparison with the other species. Male has the palest (bluish) grey upperparts of all the accipiters. The chin and throat are white with a grey mesial sttreak. The breast, belly and flanks are variably covered with narrow pale rusty bars, most prominent on the breast. In some birds, especially at a distance, this may appear as a uniform pale rufous wash. In flight the underwing is whitish with dark tips not as dark or extensive. The barring on the flight feathers is faint grey, often not visible from a distance, and the wing linings usually show some pale, rufous barring. The tail shows little or no barring on a perched bird. Female is similar but upperparts are browner. Immature is dark brown above, usually with some rufous and white streaking on the nape. It has a white supercillium (streaked with brown), and a bold dark mesial streak on the otherwise white throat. The rest of the underparts are heavily streaked with brown and rufous-brown drop-shaped spots tending more towards barring at the side of the breast and flanks. The tail has 5-7 dark bars. Mainly plains and lower hills. Open wodded and arable country, vicinity of villages.