Gundlach's hawk
{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Gundlach's hawk
| image = Accipiter gundlachi (photo by Roberto Jovel).jpg
| image_caption = A female Gundlach's hawk at UNESCO-listed Alexander Humboldt National Park in Baracoa, Eastern Cuba
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Astur
| species = gundlachi
| authority = (Lawrence, 1860)
| subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
| subdivision_ref = Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi : 10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.
| subdivision =
- A. g. gundlachi - (Lawrence, 1860)
- A. g. wileyi - (Wotzkow, 1991)
| synonyms = Accipiter gundlachii Lawrence, 1860 [orth. error]
| range_map = Accipiter gundlachi map.svg
}}
The Gundlach's hawk (Astur gundlachi) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter. It is one of 21 endemic bird species of Cuba. The common name and Latin binomial commemorate the German-Cuban ornithologist Juan Cristobal Gundlach (1810–1896).{{cite book|last=Beolens|first=Bo|title=Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds|year=2003|publisher=Christopher Helm|location=London|page=152|author2=Watkins, Michael}} It is threatened by habitat loss and human persecution.
Description
The hawk is a medium-sized forest raptor. It stands between {{Convert|43-51|cm|abbr=on}} in height and has a stocky body shape. The adult hawk has a dark bluish-gray upper body and wings, with a black head. The under body of the bird is a lighter color. It also has a striped tail that is rounded in flight. Immature hawks are mostly brown on the top and paler on the bottom, but with dark streaking down the body.BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Accipiter gundlachi. Compared to some other raptors of the genus Astur such as the bicolored hawk and cooper's hawk, Gundlach's hawks are longer and faster.
=Voice=
Gundlach's hawks has two main calls the kek and the "squeal" which is usually associated with species of its type, Astur. The vocalizations for these calls are different for the sexes with variations in pitch, tempo and length. The male call is softer, clearer, and shallower with a higher peak compared to the female who makes most of the calls and whose call is at a softer pitch.
Behavior
=Breeding=
Typically, Gundlach's hawk nests high up in trees in the forest, such as pines, at about an altitude of {{Convert|19-25|m}}. Nesting high allows for hawks to prey on other birds that nest at much lower altitudes, along with the added benefit of protecting against nest predators. Nests are commonly made of smaller twigs from the trees that are found in the habitat.
=Feeding=
Gundlach's hawk feeds almost exclusively on birds. Because of the hawk's large feet, it can feed on the Cuban parrot, the Cuban parakeet, and the Cuban macaw (before its extinction). Other birds in its diet include doves and pigeons, quail, and chicken.Reynard, George B., Lester L. Short, and Orlando H. Garrido. "Nesting, Voice, Status, And Relationships Of The Endemic Cuban Gundlach's Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi)." Wilson Bulletin 99.(1987): 73-77. General Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
Distribution and habitat
Gundlach's hawk is found only in Cuba. At one point it was common to find them throughout the country, however, now they can only be found in five isolated areas. The bulk of the population exists primarily on the eastern half of the island, in the two larger population centers, with the other three smaller populations on the west side of the island. They are able to live in a variety of habitats up {{convert|800|m}}. These include humid, dry, and pine forests. It does not have highly specialized habitat preferences needing only forests to conceal its hunting approaches. 2010. Gundlach's Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi), Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Its natural habitats are dry forests and lowland moist forests. The species was never a common sight, but its population was dispersed throughout Cuba.
Status and conservation
Gundlach's hawk has been classified as endangered since 1994, due to its small and fragmented population.BirdLife International 2012. Accipiter gundlachi. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1.
=Threats=
Gundlach's hawk faces a loss of habitat due to deforestation and logging in Cuba. It not only relies on trees for nesting but also for concealment as they prey on other birds. In addition to the loss of habitat the hawk also faces persecution from farmers because of its liking for poultry.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Accipiter gundlachi}}
{{Wikispecies|Astur gundlachi}}
- [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=3462&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet.]
- [http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/SpeciesResults.asp?specID=8005 Global Raptor Information Network. 2013. Species account: Gundlach's Hawk Accipiter gundlachi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192118/http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/SpeciesResults.asp?specID=8005 |date=2013-10-29 }}
- Reynard, George B., Lester L. Short, and Orlando H. Garrido. "Nesting, Voice, Status, And Relationships Of The Endemic Cuban Gundlach's Hawk (Accipiter Gundlachi)." Wilson Bulletin 99.(1987): 73–77. General Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
- Rodrigues Santana, F. Status, Distribution, Habitat Requirements, and Conservation of Gundlach's Hawk in Cuba. Journal of Ornithology, Aug 1, 2006, Vol. 1, Issue 5, p. 239-239. Web of Science.
{{Taxonbar|from=Q114429}}
Category:Endemic birds of Cuba
Category:Birds described in 1860