Collared sparrowhawk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Collared sparrowhawk |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Accipiter
|
| Species: |
cirrocephalus
|
| Subspecies | |
|
|
The collared sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus) is a small, quick bird of prey. It belongs to the Accipitridae family, which includes hawks and eagles. You can find these birds in Australia, New Guinea, and other nearby islands.
As its name suggests, the collared sparrowhawk is very good at hunting small birds. It has a special look with slight ridges above its eyes and thin feet. A cool fact about their feet is that the last part of their middle toe sticks out further than the claws of their other toes!
Contents
What do they look like?
Collared sparrowhawks are usually 29–38 cm long, with their tail making up about half of that. Their wings can spread out to 55–78 cm wide. Males are smaller, weighing around 126 grams, while females are heavier at about 218 grams.
These birds are small but strong. They have rounded wings, a long, square-shaped tail, and bright yellow eyes. Their legs are also quite long.
Adult collared sparrowhawks have slate-grey feathers on their backs and wings. Sometimes, these feathers might have a brownish tint. They also have a reddish-brown half-collar around their neck. Their chests and bellies are white with thin reddish-brown stripes. The feathers under their wings and tail also have fine stripes. Their beak area (called the cere) is cream or olive-yellow, their eyes are yellow, and their legs and feet are yellow.
Young sparrowhawks look a bit different. They have brown upper parts with lighter streaks on their head and neck. The feathers on their back and wings have thin reddish-brown edges. Their undersides are white with thick brown streaks on their chest and rough brown stripes on their belly. Their cere is cream to greenish-yellow, their eyes are brown to pale yellow, and their legs and feet are pale yellow.
Where do they live?
The collared sparrowhawk lives across mainland Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. They can be found in almost all types of environments, except for the driest deserts. Sometimes, you might even spot them in towns and cities!
Even though they are spread out, they are not usually seen in large numbers. Collared sparrowhawks generally stay in one area. However, some might move around, but we don't know much about their travels.
How do they find food?
Collared sparrowhawks mostly eat small birds. The largest birds they have been seen catching are the crested pigeon and the spotted bowerbird. They also hunt insects, lizards, and small mammals, including tiny bats.
These birds are very sneaky hunters. They use surprise to catch their prey. They might hunt while flying or suddenly burst out from a hidden spot in the trees. Most of the animals they catch weigh less than 100 grams, but sometimes they can catch prey over 200 grams.
They often hunt by sitting quietly on a hidden branch, then flying quickly to another tree. They also hunt by flying low and fast, sometimes skimming over hedges. They grab their prey in flight, either by flying directly at it or by gliding in quietly.
How do they raise their young?
Collared sparrowhawks lay their eggs between July and December. Each pair builds their nest alone.
Their nest is like a platform made of sticks. It's about 27–32 cm wide and 12–15 cm deep. They line the nest with green leaves. Nests are usually built in the fork of a living tree, about 4 to 39 meters above the ground.
A female usually lays three or four eggs, but sometimes it can be two to five. The eggs hatch after about 35 days. The young birds stay in the nest for about 28–33 days. After they leave the nest, they depend on their parents for up to 6 weeks. Then, they go off on their own.
Young sparrowhawks can start having their own babies when they are about one year old. Sometimes, they even breed while still having their juvenile feathers!
Are they in danger?
The collared sparrowhawk is not considered to be in danger globally or nationally. They are found in many places but are generally not very common. However, they might be more common in forests in tropical and subtropical areas. They are also quite secretive, so people might not see them as often as they are actually there.
Their numbers have gone down in areas where a lot of land has been cleared. It's also thought that a chemical called DDT might have caused their eggshells to become thinner. Another bird, the pied currawong (Strepera graculina), can also be a problem. Pied currawongs sometimes steal food from adult sparrowhawks, injure them, or even kill their young.
See also
In Spanish: Gavilán acollarado para niños
