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Shikra
Latin Name:
Accipiter badius
Category:
Size:
32cm
Description:
Ashy-grey above; whitish below, close-barred with rust-brown; grey throat-stripe; in flight, the multi-banded tail and roundish wings help identification; golden-yellow eyes and yellow legs and feet seen at close range. The migrant Eurasian Sparrowhawk A. nisus is very similar but a closer look reveals the longer legs, rufous cheek-patch and absence of mesial stripe in nisus. Usually solitary; hides in leafy branches; pounces on unsuspecting prey; occasionally chases small birds; soars over forest.
Habitat:
light forest, open country, neighbourhood of villages, also in cities.
Food:
rodents, small birds, lizards, large insects; also robs poultry.
Distribution:
resident; subcontinent, up to 1,600m in the Himalaya.
Call:
Call Description:
loud, drongo-like titew…titew.
IUCN:
National Status:
At IITK: