The Collared Sparrowhawk is a medium-sized, finely built raptor (bird of prey) with wide staring bright yellow eyes. The upperparts and side of the head are slate- grey, with a complete chestnut half-collar. The underparts are finely barred pale rufous on white and the rounded wings are rather short. The bill is black, with a pale yellow cere (fleshy bill base). The Collared Sparrowhawk has long fine yellow legs and very long toes, especially the middle toe. The tail is long and generally squared at the tip. The sexes are similar in appearance but males are smaller than females. The Collared Sparrowhawk is also called the Chickenhawk. A rapid, almost trilled 'keek, keek, keek' and a soft mewing 'wit wit'. They are silent when hunting.
Not Threatened.
The Collared Sparrowhawk is a medium-sized, finely built raptor (bird of prey) with wide staring bright yellow eyes. The upperparts and side of the head are slate- grey, with a complete chestnut half-collar. The underparts are finely barred pale rufous on white and the rounded wings are rather short. The bill is black, with a pale yellow cere (fleshy bill base). The Collared Sparrowhawk has long fine yellow legs and very long toes, especially the middle toe. The tail is long and generally squared at the tip. The sexes are similar in appearance but males are smaller than females. The Collared Sparrowhawk is also called the Chickenhawk. A rapid, almost trilled 'keek, keek, keek' and a soft mewing 'wit wit'. They are silent when hunting.
30-40 cm, 195 g.
Taxonomy:
- Sparvius cirrocephalus Vieillot, 1817, New Holland = New South Wales. Forms superspecies with A. brachyurus, A. erythrauchen and perhaps A. rhodogaster. Birds of N Australia sometimes recognized as race quaesitandus, but doubtfully valid. Emendation of original spelling to cirrhocephalus is not justified. Three subspecies normally recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * papuanus (Rothschild & Hartert, 1913) - New Guinea, W Papuan Is, Aru Is. * rosselianus Mayr, 1940 - Rossel I (Louisiade Archipelago). * cirrocephalus (Vieillot, 1817) - Australia, Tasmania.
It is found in woodlands and forests of tropical and temperate Australia.
Mainly eat small birds caught in flight. They hunt during the day, and also at dawn and dusk to catch birds at their roost sites. Their very long middle toe is used to clutch their prey, before it is killed, plucked and eaten
Builds a rather flat nest of twigs and sticks in the fork of a tree, usually high among the foliage. The nest is lined with fresh leaves. Mainly the female incubates, with the male helping at times, though he provides her with food. The female broods the young for the first week or so and then shelters them in very hot or cold weather. The young are fed with small pieces of food, bill to bill. Sparrowhawks are very calm at their nest, unlike the Brown Goshawk which is very aggressive. Breeding season: September to February Clutch size: Three to four Incubation: 35 days Time in nest: 28 days.