The grey-headed goshawk (''Tachyspiza poliocephala'') is a lightly built, medium-sized

bird of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...

in the family Accipitridae. This species was formerly placed in the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

Accipiter ''Accipiter'' () is a genus of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. Some species are called sparrowhawks, but there are many sparrowhawks in other genera such as '' Tachyspiza''. These birds are slender with short, broad, rounded wings and ...

''.

Description

The upperparts are grey, paler on the head and neck; the wings are dark; the underparts are mainly white; the cere and legs are red-orange. The body is 30–38 cm long; females are larger than males. Juveniles have dark brown wings.

Distribution and habitat

The grey-headed goshawk is endemic to

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...

and adjacent islands. It has been recorded from Saibai Island, Queensland, an

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

n territory in the north-western

Torres Strait The Torres Strait (), also known as Zenadh Kes ( Kalaw Lagaw Ya#Phonology 2, �zen̪ad̪ kes, is a strait between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, ...

. It lives in forests, forest edges and secondary growth.

Breeding

This species nests in tall trees on a platform of sticks and leaves.

Feeding

It eats small

reptile Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

s and insects.

References

* BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: ''Accipiter poliocephalus''. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/12/2006 * Coates, B.J. (1985), ''The Birds of Papua New Guinea, Vol. 1, Non-Passerines''. Dove: Alderley, Queensland. * Morcombe, Michael. (2000). ''Field Guide to Australian Birds''. Steve Parish Publishing: Queensland. grey-headed goshawk Birds of prey of New Guinea grey-headed goshawk grey-headed goshawk {{Accipitriformes-stub