From Opus

Photo by Laurence Poh
subspecies syama, Kinta Nature Park, Batu Gajah, Malaysia

Aviceda leuphotes

[edit] Identification

33cm
A largely black raptor with a long crest. Broad white band across upper breast, rest of underparts black-and-chestnut barred. Upperparts variably marked with chestnut and white.
Female similar to male but lacks white on secondaries.
Juvenile also similar but duller overall and with white streaks on throat. Broad and rounded wings, moderately long tail.
Reminiscent of a corvid in flight.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Asia. Breeds in the foothills of the Himalayas and east across Burma and southern China to Hainan. In winter also found in SW India (Western Ghats), Indochina to Malaysia, Sumatra and less commonly to western Java. Recorded in Sri Lanka.

Northern birds migrate through Indochina and the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra.

Photo by kctsang
Singapore, January 2007

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

Usually four subspecies are recognized:

• A. l. wolfei in Sichuan;
• A. l. syama widespread from North-eastern India, Eastern Nepal to southern China;
• A. l. leuphotes Kerala, Southern Burma and Thailand;
• A. l. andamanica Andaman Islands;

Wolfei is sometimes considered to belong to syama. Birds from Burma are sometimes placed in burmana. Some authors even question the validity of syama. More study needed for clarification.

[edit] Habitat

Open evergreen or deciduous forest. This species is often found around clearings or wide streams, sometimes near villages. From the lowlands up to 1000m.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

Only little known about breeding. March to May in Burma, February to June in South-western India, April to June in North-eastern India. The nest is quite small and placed high in a tree, often near water. Lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated by both sexes.

[edit] Diet

Feeds on large insects, mostly grasshoppers. Takes also lizards and frogs, sometimes small birds or mammals. Perch hunting, mostly at dawn or dusk or when overcast. Known also to hunt in groups.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages