- Accipiter trivirgatus
Identification
This raptor has short broad wings and a long tail, both adaptations to manoeuvring through trees. It is 30-46cm in length, with the female much larger than the male. The larger size and a short crest are the best distinctions from its relative, the Besra, Accipiter virgatus.
The male has a dark brown crown, grey head sides and black moustachial and throat stripes. The pale underparts are patterned with rufous streaks on the breast and bars on the belly.
The larger female has a browner head and brown underpart streaks and bars. The juvenile has pale fringes to its head feathers, and the underpart background colour is buff rather than white.
Distribution
Southern Asia: breeds in western India and Sri Lanka and from north-east India and the Himalayas east to south-central and southern China and Taiwan, south to the Malay Peninsula. Also occurs on Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the southern Philippine islands of Palawan, Negros, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao as well as numerous smaller islands. Resident.
Taxonomy
The Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.
SUBSPECIES Ten or eleven races are usually recognised: peninsulae in western India, layardi in Sri Lanka, indicus from the Himalayas to China and south to Malaysia, formosae in Taiwan, trivirgatus in Sumatra, niasensis on Nias, javanicus in Java, microstictus in Borneo, palawanus in Palawan, castroi in the Polillo Islands and extimus in the southern Philippines.
Habitat
Lowland and hill forest up to about 2,000 m.
Behaviour
The flight is a characteristic "slow flap, slow flap, straight glide" similar to other Accipiter species such as Northern Goshawk. Like its relatives, this secretive forest bird hunts birds, mammals and reptiles in woodland, relying on surprise as it flies from a perch to catch its prey unaware.
