Crested goshawk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crested goshawk |
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| Adult male | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Accipiter
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| Species: |
trivirgatus
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| Range map yellow: possible residence. |
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The crested goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus) is a cool bird of prey found in tropical parts of Asia. It's like a cousin to other powerful birds such as eagles and buzzards. These birds all belong to the same bird family called Accipitridae.
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About the Crested Goshawk
This bird has short, wide wings and a long tail. These help it fly easily through trees. It is about 30 to 46 centimeters long. Female goshawks are much bigger than males. You can tell it apart from its relative, the besra, by its larger size and a small crest of feathers on its head.
What Does It Look Like?
Male goshawks have a dark brown top of the head. Their head sides are grey. They also have black stripes near their beak and on their throat. Their belly is light-colored with reddish streaks on the chest. There are also bars on the lower belly.
The female goshawk is larger. She has a browner head. Her underparts have brown streaks and bars. Young goshawks have light edges on their head feathers. Their underparts are a creamy color instead of white.
How Does It Fly?
The crested goshawk flies in a special way. It does a "slow flap, slow flap, then a straight glide." This is similar to how other Accipiter birds fly. An example is the northern goshawk.
Where Do Crested Goshawks Live?
The crested goshawk lives in southern Asia. You can find it from India and Sri Lanka all the way to southern China. It also lives in Indonesia, Taiwan, and the Philippines. This bird mostly lives in lowlands. It stays in these areas all year round.
Even in mountain areas, it lives there in winter. For example, it can be found in the Himalayas. It is also in the Sal forests of India. However, it is quite rare in these northern parts of its range. It mainly prefers warm tropical and subtropical places.
In Malaysia and Singapore, these birds are starting to live in cities. This shows they can adapt to new environments.
What Do They Eat?
Like its relatives, this shy forest bird hunts in woodlands. It eats birds, small mammals, and reptiles. It uses surprise to catch its prey. It flies from a perch to grab animals that don't see it coming.
Crested goshawks build a nest out of sticks in a tree. The female usually lays two or three eggs.
Protected Status
In Hong Kong, the crested goshawk is a protected species. This means it is against the law to harm them. You can find them in places like Kam Shan Country Park.
Images for kids
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Adults are plain dark grey-brown above. Note the crest.
