Shikra Accipiter badius
Bure Hora, Ethiopia
20 January 2014
Shikra is a small accipiter (25 - 30cm) found in parts of Asia and over a good deal of Africa. Its preferred habitat is dry, open woodland, with trees, riverine forest, even orchards or similar areas of cultivation. Unlike other accipiters its principal diet is comprised of small lizards and insects, although in true accipiter fashion it will take small birds, and even raids nests.
It uses a perch in dense foliage from which to make a rapid dash to seize its prey, although in areas of human habitation it will perch more openly and rush onto a building to grab a lizard from the wall.
I desperately wanted to see a Shikra in both India and Africa to compare it with our own Accipiter nisus, but all I got was tantalising glimpses. So thanks for sharing your pictures.
ReplyDeleteHope you get some colour to your nether regions in the coming warm weather.
Hawks are such regal looking birds.
ReplyDeleteFantastic!
ReplyDeleteYou just show up somewhere and bingo, all the birds flock towards you! LOL!
You'll have to give the recipe... in my area it doesn't work this way!!
Brilliant catch, this accipiter, male I guess, looks much our A. nisus!
Cheers, David!
Again, this is such a great beautiful birds of prey.
ReplyDeleteClass!