Accipiter Francesiae – Wikipedia

It Sparviero di Frances ( Hawk Francesiae A. Smith, 1834 ) is a bird of bird of bird of the accipitrid family widespread in the Malgasia region ^[2] .

Size [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Measures 28–35 cm in length, for a weight of 104-140 g in the male and 112-185 g in the female; The wing opening is 40–54 cm ^[3] .

I wait [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

This small bird of prey has a relatively large beak, pointed wings, a long tail, rather elongated legs but short feet. The sexes differ from each other in appearance. The female is on average larger than 13%. Young people have a plumage quite similar to that of the female.

In the adult male of the nominal subspecies, the upper parts are dark gray, but the head is slightly clearer. The tail has a black subterinal band. The lower regions are white with a variable number of thin red or gray-brownish bars on the chest and on the upper part of the sides. The female has brown upper parts that contrast with the gray of the hood and the sides of the head. The tail is barred. The lower parts are white, brown-brown-brown. Young people are not very different from their mothers. However, they stand out for the upper parts of brown-red color strips of white on the eyebrow and on the neck, as well as for the larger and more brown bars on the lower parts. The iris, wax and legs are all more or less yellowish, but the male has the iris slightly more orange. Young people have clearer and more greenish wax and legs. The different subspecies are distinguished by the smaller dimensions and the absence of dwelling. The race Griveaudi it is smaller than the nominal one; The specimens of both sexes have a plumage that resembles that of the nominal breed male, but with the shaded and vermiculate chest of pink-shater; Four bands are visible on the tail. The race teeny It is also smaller. The lower parts are white with a gray shade limited on the sides of the chest and the upper part of the sides. The bars of the lower parts are just visible. In the race brutus , both sexes have a plumage similar to that of the female of the nominal subspecies, with light brown upper parts, clear cheeks and gray head. The lower parts are white with very pronounced red bars on the chest. The males cannot be confused with any other endemic accipitride of Madagascar. The females and young people recall more or less the sparrowse of Madagascar ( Hawk Madagascariensis ), even if the latter has more rounded wings, shorter and more squared tail and black stripes more thin on the lower parts ^[3] .

Voice [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Frances of Frances emit gods no one nobody penetrating, but also launch gods quit quit quit quit screechs that vaguely recall the cry of the African astore ( Hawk tachiro ). We ignore, however, what is the function of all these cries ^[3] .

Frances’ sparvieri are surprisingly casual and approachable birds, which allows you to observe them easily. Generally perch in open environments, on a dead branch or on a pole. These birds usually live in pairs, even outside the nesting season. They love planning above the trees, but we do not have a detailed description of their aerial parades available. Frances of Frances are probably sedentary. In starting, there seems to be no apparently any movement from one island to another. However, after the inquiry, young people are subject to dispersion movements ^[3] .

Diet [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

The sparvieri feed mainly of reptiles, in particular of chameleons. Even large insects such as locusts and beetles constitute an important part of the diet. Amphibians, small birds and small mammals such as rodents integrate the menu. Unlike many birds of prey Hawk , these Astori hunt almost exclusively on the mail, fonding from their posees to capture their prey on the ground or foliage. To do this, sometimes the male and female collaborate with each other ^[3] .

Reproduction [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Frances’ sparsmen reproduce from September to February. They build a rather large structure made of pieces of wood and covered with leaves. A nest found in a manghi plantation measured 35 centimeters in diameter and inside it was covered with cloves. The nest is usually located between 4.5 and 15 meters high from the ground in a forest or plantation; Sometimes it is built in a tuft of epifite. The brood includes on average 3 to 5 eggs. The duration of the incubation and stay of young people in the nest is still unknown ^[3] .

Originally, Frances of Frances frequented almost exclusively the primary forests and tree -lined savanes, but recently they adapted to live in degraded forests and in the groves during regeneration. They are also found in cultivated soils where some trees grow, in parks, large gardens and coconut palm trees, coffee, sisal, manghi or other fruit trees. In comparisons, they also attend mangroves. Frances of Frances can be observed in altitudes ranging from sea level to 2000 meters.

Frances’ sparsmen are endemic from Madagascar and Comores. In the first of these regions they are common throughout the island, although they are rarer in its southern part. In comparisons, their presence is uncertain to Moéli and they practically disappeared from Anjouan ^[3] .

This species is officially divided into four subspecies ^[2] :

It is the most common of the three birds of prey of the genre Hawk who live in Madagascar. However, it is rather rare in the arid regions of the south of the island. In comparisons, its state of conservation differs a lot according to the islands. It is quite rare to great start and on the edge of extinction in Anjouan. On the contrary, it is rather common to Mayotte, especially in the western part of the island and low altitudes. The total area of ​​its area is approximately approximate to 600,000 square kilometers and it is estimated that it supports the presence of at least 40,000 couples. This is the case, the global effectives should reach more than 100,000 individuals, including young and immature. Its great adaptability to plantations and gardens is a guarantee of success for the future. Frances’s Astore is considered by all competent organizations as “minimum risk species” ( Least Concern ) ^[first] .

• P. Morris e F. Hawkins, Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide , Mountfield, UK, Pica Press, 1998, p. 316, ISBN 1-873403-45-3.