Madagascar sparrowhawk
The Madagascar sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
| Madagascar sparrowhawk | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Genus: | Accipiter |
| Species: | A. madagascariensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Accipiter madagascariensis Verreaux, J, 1833 | |
It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, dry savanna, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
It is threatened by habitat loss.
It may form a superspecies with Eurasian sparrowhawk (A. nisus) and rufous-chested sparrowhawk (A. rufiventris) (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001).
The Madagascar Sparrowhawk inhabits Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. These Islands are almost 300 miles away from Madagascar over open ocean.
The Comoro Islands have/had 3 distinct subspecies of the Madagascar Sparrowhawk: The Anjouan sparrowhawk, the Mayotte sparrowhawk, and the Sensu Palmer Sparrowhawk. The most notable difference between the Madagascar Sparrowhawks and its distinct subspecies is the difference in color patterns between males and females.
Male Madagascar Sparrowhawks have blue/grey stomachs, wings, and backsides with slight hints of orange around their chest, while females have brown/black chests and wings. But the male and female subspecies Madagascar Sparrowhawks have unusual patterns, that unmistakably make them different.[2]
The Sensu Palmer Sparrowhawk has been declared extinct since 1972 and the number of Madagascar Sparrowhawks is decreasing as of 2023.
Their life spans can range to 7 years, and they aren’t migratory birds. They only inhabit the coasts of Madagascar. Their habitats consist of rainforests in the East, deciduous forests in the west, and spiny forests in the southwest.
Population and Habitat
It is suspected that there is between 3300 and 6700 mature Madagascar Sparrowhawks in the wild. It was classified as near threatened in August of 2018 by the IUCN. [3] It is found at altitudes from sea level up to 1500 meters, but typically stays under 1000 meters. [4]
Diet and Foraging
The Madagascar Sparrowhawk eats other small birds which makes up 97% of their prey. Common avian prey includes the Madagascar Black Bulbul, the Madagascar Partridge, and the Madagascar Turtle-Dove. Other prey includes insects, frogs and some reptiles. The Madagascar Sparrow Hawk hunts by concealing themselves in low perches in the forest and pursuing prey in flight. [4]
Reproduction and Development
The female Madagascar Sparrowhawk typically lays three eggs each breeding season in the months of October and November. Eggs are incubated by the female for a period of around 35 days. Nests are sometimes reused over several seasons. [5]
After the eggs hatch the young develop quickly. They will develop to leave the nest at an average of 37 days and become independent of their parents at around 60-67 days. [5]
Threats
The Madagascar Sparrowhawk is threatened by habitat loss as a result of logging and wood harvesting. [3]
References
- BirdLife International (2018). "Accipiter madagascariensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22695613A129916593. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22695613A129916593.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- "Summon 2.0". tcu.summon.serialssolutions.com. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- "Madagascar Sparrowhawk". IUCN Red List.
- Kemp, Alan C.; Kirwan, Guy M.; Christie, David (2020). "Madagascar Sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.madspa1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
- "Madagascar Sparrowhawk | The Peregrine Fund". www.peregrinefund.org. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- Ferguson-Lees, James and David A. Christie (2001) Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London. pp. 578–581. ISBN 0-7136-8026-1
