Accipitrinae
Encyclopedia
The Accipitrinae is the subfamily
of the Accipitridae often known as the "true" hawks, including all members of Accipiter
and the closely related genera
Melierax
, Urotriorchis, Erythrotriorchis
and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread genus Accipiter includes goshawk
s, sparrowhawks, the Sharp-shinned Hawk
and others. They are primarily woodland
bird
s that hunt by sudden dashes from a concealed perch, with long tails, broad wings and high visual acuity facilitating this lifestyle. In light of recent genetic research
, the kites
of the traditional subfamily Milvinae may also belong to this group.
Hawks, including the accipitrines, are believed to have vision several times as sharp as that of the human
species, in part because of the great number of photoreceptor cells in their retina
s (up to 1,000,000 per square mm, against 200,000 for humans), a very high number of nerve
s connecting the receptors to the brain
, and an indented fovea
, which magnifies the central portion of the visual field
.
, a sport in which trained birds of prey
are flown at small game
for sport
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of the Accipitridae often known as the "true" hawks, including all members of Accipiter
Accipiter
The genus Accipiter is a group of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae, many of which are named as goshawks and sparrowhawks. They can be anatomically distinguished from their relatives by the lack of a procoracoid foramen. Two small and aberrant species usually placed here do possess a large...
and the closely related genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Melierax
Melierax
Melierax is a genus of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It contains the following species:* Dark Chanting Goshawk * Pale Chanting Goshawk * Eastern Chanting Goshawk...
, Urotriorchis, Erythrotriorchis
Erythrotriorchis
Erythrotriorchis is a genus of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It contains the following species:* Chestnut-shouldered Goshawk * Red Goshawk -Etymology:...
and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread genus Accipiter includes goshawk
Goshawk (disambiguation)
-Bird species:* Species of birds of prey, mainly in the genus Accipiter:** Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis** Crested Goshawk, Accipiter trivirgatus** Sulawesi Goshawk, Accipiter griseiceps** Red-chested Goshawk, Accipiter toussenelii...
s, sparrowhawks, the Sharp-shinned Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small hawk. In fact, "sharp-shins" or "sharpies" are the smallest to reside in USA and Canada, though some Neotropical species are smaller...
and others. They are primarily woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s that hunt by sudden dashes from a concealed perch, with long tails, broad wings and high visual acuity facilitating this lifestyle. In light of recent genetic research
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, the kites
Kite (bird)
Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mainly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae....
of the traditional subfamily Milvinae may also belong to this group.
Hawks, including the accipitrines, are believed to have vision several times as sharp as that of the human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
species, in part because of the great number of photoreceptor cells in their retina
Retina
The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
s (up to 1,000,000 per square mm, against 200,000 for humans), a very high number of nerve
Neuron
A neuron is an electrically excitable cell that processes and transmits information by electrical and chemical signaling. Chemical signaling occurs via synapses, specialized connections with other cells. Neurons connect to each other to form networks. Neurons are the core components of the nervous...
s connecting the receptors to the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
, and an indented fovea
Fovea
The fovea centralis, also generally known as the fovea , is a part of the eye, located in the center of the macula region of the retina....
, which magnifies the central portion of the visual field
Visual field
The term visual field is sometimes used as a synonym to field of view, though they do not designate the same thing. The visual field is the "spatial array of visual sensations available to observation in introspectionist psychological experiments", while 'field of view' "refers to the physical...
.
Species in taxonomic order
- Subfamily Accipitrinae
- Genus Accipiter
- Northern Goshawk, A. gentilis
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk, A. nisus
- Grey-bellied Hawk, A. poliogaster
- Crested GoshawkCrested GoshawkThe Crested Goshawk is a bird of prey from tropical Asia. It is related to other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers, and thus placed in the family Accipitridae.-Description:...
, A. trivirgatus - Sulawesi GoshawkSulawesi GoshawkThe Sulawesi Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
, A. griseiceps - Red-chested GoshawkRed-chested GoshawkThe Red-chested Goshawk is a hawk of West Africa. It is often considered conspecific with the African Goshawk.-Range and habitat:...
, A. toussenelii - African GoshawkAfrican GoshawkThe African Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.As defined here following the Handbook of the Birds of the World, it is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,...
, A. tachiro - Chinese Sparrowhawk, A. soloensis
- Frances's SparrowhawkFrances's SparrowhawkFrances' Goshawk is a small hawk. The nominate subspecies, A. f. francesiae, is endemic to Madagascar. The race from Anjouan, Accipiter francesiae pusillus is possibly extinct....
, A. francesii- Anjouan Sparrowhawk, Accipiter francesiae pusillus
- Spot-tailed Sparrowhawk, A. trinotatus
- Grey GoshawkGrey GoshawkThe Grey Goshawk, Accipiter novaehollandiae, the white morph of which is known as the White Goshawk, is a strongly built, medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.-Description:...
, A. novaehollandiae - Brown GoshawkBrown GoshawkThe Brown Goshawk is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found in Australia and surrounding islands.- Description:...
, A. fasciatus- Christmas Goshawk, Accipiter fasciatus natalis
- Pied GoshawkPied GoshawkThe Pied Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
, A. albogularis - Fiji GoshawkFiji GoshawkThe Fiji Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It was once considered to be the same species as the Brown Goshawk of Australia and New Caledonia. It is endemic to Fiji, where it occurs on the larger islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Kadavu, Gau and Ovalau...
, A. rufitorques - White-bellied GoshawkWhite-bellied GoshawkThe White-bellied Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to New Caledonia...
, A. haplochrous - Moluccan GoshawkMoluccan GoshawkThe Moluccan Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
, A. henicogrammus - Grey-headed GoshawkGrey-headed GoshawkThe Grey-headed Goshawk, Accipiter poliocephalus, is a lightly built, medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.-Identification:...
, A. poliocephalus - New Britain GoshawkNew Britain GoshawkThe New Britain Goshawk is a bird of prey species in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea....
, A. princeps - Black Sparrowhawk, A. melanoleucus
- Henst's GoshawkHenst's GoshawkHenst's Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and plantations.It is threatened by...
, A. henstii - Meyer's GoshawkMeyer's GoshawkMeyer's Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands....
, A. meyerianus - Chestnut-flanked SparrowhawkChestnut-flanked SparrowhawkThe Chestnut-flanked Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, and Uganda....
, A. castanilius - Nicobar SparrowhawkNicobar SparrowhawkThe Nicobar Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. There are two subspecies, the nominate race which is found on Car Nicobar in the north of the archipelago, and A. b. obsoletus, from Katchal and Camorta in the central...
, A. butleri - Levant SparrowhawkLevant SparrowhawkThe Levant Sparrowhawk is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers....
, A. brevipes - Slaty-mantled SparrowhawkSlaty-mantled SparrowhawkThe Slaty-mantled Goshawk , also known as the Slaty-mantled Sparrowhawk, or Slaty-backed Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat...
, A. luteoschistaceus - Imitator SparrowhawkImitator SparrowhawkThe Imitator Goshawk or Imitator Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.It is threatened...
, A. imitator - Red-thighed SparrowhawkRed-thighed SparrowhawkThe Red-thighed Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria,...
, A. erythropus - Little SparrowhawkLittle SparrowhawkThe Little Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda,...
, A. minullus - Japanese SparrowhawkJapanese SparrowhawkThe Japanese Sparrowhawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers....
, A. gularis - Dwarf Sparrowhawk, A. nanus
- Rufous-necked SparrowhawkRufous-necked SparrowhawkThe Rufous-necked Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
, A. erythrauchen - Collared SparrowhawkCollared SparrowhawkThe Collared Sparrowhawk is a small, slim bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found in Australia, and New Guinea and nearby smaller islands.- Description :...
, A. cirrocephalus - New Britain SparrowhawkNew Britain SparrowhawkThe New Britain Sparrowhawk is a threatened species of bird of prey. It is endemic to two Papua New Guinea islands, New Britain and New Ireland. Even in 1934 Ernst Mayr, in his survey of mountain bird life during the Whitney South Sea Expedition, found the New Britain Sparrowhawk to be very rare...
, A. brachyurus - Vinous-breasted SparrowhawkVinous-breasted SparrowhawkThe Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is endemic to Indonesia....
, A. rhodogaster - Madagascar SparrowhawkMadagascar SparrowhawkThe Madagascar Sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar...
, A. madagascariensis - Ovambo Sparrowhawk, A. ovampensis
- Rufous-chested SparrowhawkRufous-chested SparrowhawkThe Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk , also known as the Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk, is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family...
, A. rufiventris - ShikraShikraThe Shikra is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the Little Banded Goshawk. The African forms may represent a separate species but have usually been considered as subspecies of the Shikra...
, A. badius - Tiny HawkTiny HawkThe Tiny Hawk is a small diurnal bird of prey found in or near forests, primarily humid, throughout much of the Neotropics. It is primarily a bird-eater, and is known to prey on hummingbirds....
, A. superciliosus - Semicollared HawkSemicollared HawkThe Semi-collared Hawk is a bird of prey species of in the Accipitridae family. Usually named Accipiter collaris, it is the sister species of the Tiny Hawk . The latter is the only species of the genus Accipiter yet studied which has a large procoracoid foramen...
, A. collaris - Sharp-shinned HawkSharp-shinned HawkThe Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small hawk. In fact, "sharp-shins" or "sharpies" are the smallest to reside in USA and Canada, though some Neotropical species are smaller...
, A. striatus- White-breasted Hawk, A. s. chionogaster
- Plain-breasted Hawk, A. s. ventralis
- Rufous-thighed Hawk, A. s. erythronemius
- Cooper's HawkCooper's HawkCooper's Hawk is a medium-sized hawk native to the North American continent and found from Canada to Mexico. As in many birds of prey, the male is smaller than the female...
, A. cooperii - Gundlach's HawkGundlach's HawkThe Gundlach's Hawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is endemic to Cuba.Its natural habitats are dry forests and lowland moist forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:*...
, A. gundlachi - Bicolored Hawk, A. bicolor
- BesraBesraThe Besra, Accipiter virgatus, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.The Besra is a widespread resident breeder in dense forests throughout south Asia from Pakistan and India to south China and Indonesia. It nests in trees, building a new nest each year...
, A. virgatus
- Genus Melierax
- Gabar GoshawkGabar GoshawkThe Gabar Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana,...
, M. gabar - Dark Chanting GoshawkDark Chanting GoshawkThe Dark Chanting Goshawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. The Accipitridae also include many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers....
, M. metabates - Eastern Chanting GoshawkEastern Chanting GoshawkThe Eastern Chanting Goshawk or Somali Chanting Goshawk is a bird of prey of East Africa.-Taxonomy:...
, M. poliopterus - Pale Chanting GoshawkPale Chanting GoshawkThe Pale Chanting Goshawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.This hawk breeds in southern Africa. It is a resident species of dry, open semi-desert with 75 cm or less annual rainfall. It is commonly seen perched on roadside telephone poles.This species is 56–65 cm long. The...
, M. canorus
- Gabar Goshawk
- Genus Urotriorchis
- Long-tailed HawkLong-tailed HawkThe Long-tailed Hawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers. It is the only member of the genus Urotriorchis....
, U. macrourus
- Long-tailed Hawk
- Genus Erythrotriorchis
- Red GoshawkRed GoshawkThe Red Goshawk is probably the rarest Australian bird of prey. It is found mainly in the savanna woodlands of northern Australia, particularly near watercourses...
, E. radiatus - Chestnut-shouldered GoshawkChestnut-shouldered GoshawkThe Chestnut-shouldered Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, E. buergersi
- Red Goshawk
- Genus Megatriorchis
- Doria's GoshawkDoria's GoshawkDoria's Goshawk, Megatriorchis doriae, is a raptor, the only member of the genus Megatriorchis.-Description:At up to 69 cm long, it is among the biggest hawks in the broad sense. It is greyish-brown with a black-barred crown and upperparts, whitish underparts, a black streak behind the eye,...
, M. doriae
- Doria's Goshawk
- Genus Accipiter
Hawks and humans
Hawks are sometimes used in falconryFalconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
, a sport in which trained birds of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
are flown at small game
Game
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
for sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
.
External links
- Hawk videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Hawk photos taken on the central coast of California.