Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawk

Madagascar cuckoo-hawk
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Order	Accipitriformes
Sub-order	Accipitres
Family Information
Superfamily	Accipitroidea
Family	Accipitridae
Sub-family	Perninae
Genus Information
Genus	Aviceda
Species Information
Species	A. madagascariensis
Population statistics
Conservation status	Least concern[1]

The Madagascar cuckoo-hawk or Madagascar baza (Aviceda madagascariensis) is a medium-sized bird of prey of the family Accipitridae, and found in much of the forested regions of Madagascar.

Description[edit]

As the name implies, the Madagascar cuckoo-hawk bears a superficial resemblance to the unrelated cuckoos. Its wingspan is about 3 feet, with an overall body length of 16 to 18 inches. Like other members of the genus Aviceda, it bears two distinctive tooth-like notches near the edge of the bill. Legs are short and stout, and bear powerful talons.

Males are brown in color above, bearing black streaks and white bars, with the head a slightly lighter shade of brown. A crest is present, but so short as to be unnoticeable. Tail is brown with darker brown bars, with the first two bars bordered in white. The underside of the wings are light tan, with brown barring throughout, giving the bird a more hawk-like than cuckoo-like appearance when in flight. The underside from the base of the neck to the tail is a light cream, mottled on the chest with brown. Females are of a similar color, with the young darker until maturity.

Habitat[edit]

The Madagascar cuckoo-hawk occupies deciduous woodlands, both within the forest interior and scrub country, and is sometimes seen in suburban gardens.

Diet[edit]

The Madagascar cuckoo-hawk feeds primarily on reptiles, with insects an occasional part of the diet, and usually from a still-hunting position on a perch within the forest or at the forest edge on a clearing.

Breeding[edit]

The species begins breeding in November to December. Limited research indicates the birds choose nesting sites high in the canopy in dense forests, laying two eggs.

References[edit]