The Levant sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes) is a small bird of prey. It measures 32–38 cm (13–15 in) in length with a wingspan of 65–75 cm (26–30 in). The female is larger than the male, but the difference is not as marked as with Eurasian sparrowhawk. The adult male is blue-grey above, with dark wingtips, and barred reddish below.
The adult female is slate-grey above with darkish wingtips. She is barred reddish brown below, and may show a dark throat line. The juvenile is dark brown above and has dark-streaked underparts. It shows a dark throat line. It breeds in forests from Greece and the Balkans east to southern Russia. It is migratory, wintering from Egypt across to southwestern Iran. It will migrate in large flocks, unlike the more widespread Eurasian sparrowhawk.
The Levant sparrowhawk nests in trees, building a new nest, lined with green leaves, each year. The normal clutch is 3–5 eggs. It hunts small birds, insects, rodents, and lizards in woodland or semi-desert areas, relying on surprise as it flies from a perch to catch its prey unaware.
This bird is a small raptor with short broad wings and a longish tail, both adaptations to manoeuvring through trees. It is similar to the Eurasian sparrowhawk, but its shorter tail and more pointed wings give it a more falcon-like appearance.
The flight of this hawk is a characteristic flap – flap – glide.
The genus name Accipiter is a Latin word meaning "hawk" (from the Latin word accipere, meaning "to grasp").[6] The species name brevipes is a combination of the Latin words brevis, meaning "short" and pes, meaning "foot"; this is a reference to the bird's short toes.[5]
DescriptionEdit
The Levant sparrowhawk is small for a raptor, measuring 32–38 cm (13–15 in) in length with a wingspan of 65–75 cm (26–30 in).[7] As with all raptors, the female is larger than the male.[8] The adult male is blue-grey above and pale below, with underparts and leg feathers finely barred in rufous and white. His head is blue-grey as well, with a white throat bisected by a dark central stripe (sometimes quite faint). The female is similar, though her plumage is generally a darker brownish-grey. Both sexes have orangish-yellow legs and a yellow cere.[2]
The Levant sparrowhawk breeds from mid-May through August.[3] The pair is territorial while breeding, often performing high-circling aerial displays.[3][9] The female is thought to make the nest.[10] She builds a new one every year, a small structure of twigs on a branch or in a fork of a broad-leaved tree.[3][11] The nest tree is often near running water, typically in open woodland, on a forest edge, or in an isolated clump of trees. The nest, which measures up to 30 cm (12 in) across and 15 cm (5.9 in) deep, is lined with green leaves. Most nests are located between 5–10 m (16–33 ft) above the ground, but they have been found as low as 4 m (13 ft) and as high as 20 m (66 ft).[3]
The female lays a clutch of 2–5 eggs which she alone incubates for 30–35 days.[10][12] Hatching is asynchronous. Nestlings fledge some 40–45 days after hatching, and are independent about 15 days later.[3]
Flight and migrationEdit
Though able to flap continually (like most birds), Levant sparrowhawks typically use soaring-and-gliding flight while migrating; they also use thermals when those are available,[13] and are known to occasionally hover.[14]
PopulationEdit
In Armenia the population of Levant Sparrowhawks is estimated as 180–220 breeding pairs.[12]
^ abBirdLife International (2018). "Accipiter brevipes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22695499A131936047. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22695499A131936047.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ abPerrins, Christopher M. (1987). New Generation Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe. Austin, TX, US: University of Texas Press. p. 96. ISBN9780292755321.
^Wimberger, Peter M. (July 1984). "The Use of Green Plant Material in Bird Nests to Avoid Ectoparasites" (PDF). The Auk. 101 (3): 615–618. doi:10.1093/auk/101.3.615.
^ ab. Armenian Bird Census Council. TSE NGO. Archived from the original on 4 June 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
Beaman, Mark; Madge, Steve (1998). The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic. London, UK: Christopher Helm. ISBN978-0-7136-3960-5.
Clark, William S.; Schmitt, N. John (1999). A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-854662-9.
Ferguson-Lees, James; Christie, David A. (2001). Raptors of the World. London, UK: Christopher Helm. ISBN0-618-12762-3.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Accipiter brevipes.
Wikispecies has information related to Accipiter brevipes.
Interactive range map of Accipiter brevipes at IUCN Red List maps
Audio recordings of Levant sparrowhawk on Xeno-canto.
October 15, 2023
levant, sparrowhawk, accipiter, brevipes, small, bird, prey, measures, length, with, wingspan, female, larger, than, male, difference, marked, with, eurasian, sparrowhawk, adult, male, blue, grey, above, with, dark, wingtips, barred, reddish, below, conservati. The Levant sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes is a small bird of prey It measures 32 38 cm 13 15 in in length with a wingspan of 65 75 cm 26 30 in The female is larger than the male but the difference is not as marked as with Eurasian sparrowhawk The adult male is blue grey above with dark wingtips and barred reddish below Levant sparrowhawkConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder AccipitriformesFamily AccipitridaeGenus AccipiterSpecies A brevipesBinomial nameAccipiter brevipes Severtzov 1850 Range of A brevipes Breeding Non breeding PassageThe adult female is slate grey above with darkish wingtips She is barred reddish brown below and may show a dark throat line The juvenile is dark brown above and has dark streaked underparts It shows a dark throat line It breeds in forests from Greece and the Balkans east to southern Russia It is migratory wintering from Egypt across to southwestern Iran It will migrate in large flocks unlike the more widespread Eurasian sparrowhawk The Levant sparrowhawk nests in trees building a new nest lined with green leaves each year The normal clutch is 3 5 eggs It hunts small birds insects rodents and lizards in woodland or semi desert areas relying on surprise as it flies from a perch to catch its prey unaware This bird is a small raptor with short broad wings and a longish tail both adaptations to manoeuvring through trees It is similar to the Eurasian sparrowhawk but its shorter tail and more pointed wings give it a more falcon like appearance The flight of this hawk is a characteristic flap flap glide The call is a sharp kee wick Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Behaviour 3 1 Breeding 3 2 Flight and migration 4 Population 5 Conservation and threats 6 References 6 1 Citations 6 2 Cited texts 7 External linksTaxonomy EditFirst described by Nikolai Alekseevich Severtzov in 1850 the Levant sparrowhawk is a small bird of prey in the genus Accipiter 2 It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the shikra though it differs in measurements proportions and plumage and breeds contiguously with the latter typically considered a reliable indicator of speciation over at least part of its range Along with the shikra the Chinese sparrowhawk and the Nicobar sparrowhawk it makes up a complex species group 3 It is known to have hybridised with the shikra and the Eurasian sparrowhawk 4 Despite its extensive range it has no subspecies 5 The genus name Accipiter is a Latin word meaning hawk from the Latin word accipere meaning to grasp 6 The species name brevipes is a combination of the Latin words brevis meaning short and pes meaning foot this is a reference to the bird s short toes 5 Description EditThe Levant sparrowhawk is small for a raptor measuring 32 38 cm 13 15 in in length with a wingspan of 65 75 cm 26 30 in 7 As with all raptors the female is larger than the male 8 The adult male is blue grey above and pale below with underparts and leg feathers finely barred in rufous and white His head is blue grey as well with a white throat bisected by a dark central stripe sometimes quite faint The female is similar though her plumage is generally a darker brownish grey Both sexes have orangish yellow legs and a yellow cere 2 Behaviour EditBreeding Edit nbsp Accipiter brevipes MHNTThe Levant sparrowhawk breeds from mid May through August 3 The pair is territorial while breeding often performing high circling aerial displays 3 9 The female is thought to make the nest 10 She builds a new one every year a small structure of twigs on a branch or in a fork of a broad leaved tree 3 11 The nest tree is often near running water typically in open woodland on a forest edge or in an isolated clump of trees The nest which measures up to 30 cm 12 in across and 15 cm 5 9 in deep is lined with green leaves Most nests are located between 5 10 m 16 33 ft above the ground but they have been found as low as 4 m 13 ft and as high as 20 m 66 ft 3 The female lays a clutch of 2 5 eggs which she alone incubates for 30 35 days 10 12 Hatching is asynchronous Nestlings fledge some 40 45 days after hatching and are independent about 15 days later 3 Flight and migration Edit Though able to flap continually like most birds Levant sparrowhawks typically use soaring and gliding flight while migrating they also use thermals when those are available 13 and are known to occasionally hover 14 Population EditIn Armenia the population of Levant Sparrowhawks is estimated as 180 220 breeding pairs 12 Conservation and threats EditBecause of its vast range and stable population the Levant Sparrowhawk is listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature The development of wind farms may affect its numbers 1 References EditCitations Edit a b BirdLife International 2018 Accipiter brevipes IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22695499A131936047 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22695499A131936047 en Retrieved 13 November 2021 a b Clark and Schmitt 1999 p 126 a b c d e f Ferguson Lees and Christie 2001 p 531 McCarthy Eugene M 2006 Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World Oxford UK Oxford University Press p 180 ISBN 978 0 19 518323 8 a b Clark and Schmitt 1999 p 130 Jobling James A 2010 The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Names London UK Christopher Helm p 30 ISBN 978 1 4081 2501 4 Beaman and Madge 1998 p 193 Ferguson Lees and Christie 2001 p 529 Clark and Schmitt 1999 p 128 a b Perrins Christopher M 1987 New Generation Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe Austin TX US University of Texas Press p 96 ISBN 9780292755321 Wimberger Peter M July 1984 The Use of Green Plant Material in Bird Nests to Avoid Ectoparasites PDF The Auk 101 3 615 618 doi 10 1093 auk 101 3 615 a b The State of Levant Sparrowhawks in Armenia Armenian Bird Census Council TSE NGO Archived from the original on 4 June 2017 Retrieved 4 February 2021 Ferguson Lees and Christie 2001 p 45 Ferguson Lees and Christie 2001 p 64 Cited texts Edit Beaman Mark Madge Steve 1998 The Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and the Western Palearctic London UK Christopher Helm ISBN 978 0 7136 3960 5 Clark William S Schmitt N John 1999 A Field Guide to the Raptors of Europe the Middle East and North Africa Oxford UK Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 854662 9 Ferguson Lees James Christie David A 2001 Raptors of the World London UK Christopher Helm ISBN 0 618 12762 3 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Accipiter brevipes nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Accipiter brevipes BirdLife species factsheet for Accipiter brevipes Accipiter brevipes Avibase nbsp Levant sparrowhawk media Internet Bird Collection Interactive range map of Accipiter brevipes at IUCN Red List maps Audio recordings of Levant sparrowhawk on Xeno canto Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Levant sparrowhawk amp oldid 1162643074, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
