Friday 8 March 2019

Black Baza (Aviceda leuphotes)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Aviceda ("bird kill") leuphotes ("crested")
Adult Black Baza (subspecies A. l. syama) at Angkor Wat, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Aviceda leuphotes syama (?)
Weight: 168-224g  /  Length: 30-35cm  /  Wingspan: 66-80cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Black Baza is a small and distinctively patterned raptor found in South East Asia - a striking black and white patternation which makes it very distinct from most raptors.  They also have a fascinating mix of food sources, with their main hunting method being hobby-like insect hunting, but also catching smaller birds, and most intriguingly, eating palm oil fruits.  Many populations are migratory, and may form flocks, though the Cambodian birds are resident.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus:  Aviceda
SUBSPECIES: A. l. wolfei, A. l. syama, A. l. leuphotes, A. l. andamanica

 - Sighting Locations -
CAMBODIA - Khmer - ស្ទាំងខ្មៅសស្លាបឆែក ("White winged black hawk" / "Check wing")) 
A fairly common resident
 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Seen at Angkor Wat

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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