Accipiter cirrhocephalus

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Family

Accipitridae

Genus

Accipiter

Species

cirrhocephalus

Common Names

Collared Sparrowhawk, Australian Sparrowhawk, Chicken-hawk

Distinguishing Features

This is a fairly small bird of prey at 30-40cm in size, with a wingspan of 55-80cm. Males are smaller and thinner than females. The head, back, wings and tail are grey, while the underparts are light coloured with red-brown horizontal streaks. A red-brown patch is also found across the sides and back of the neck. This bird has a short, thick and hooked black and yellow bill, yellow eyes and strong, yellow feet with a long middle toe. In flight, the tail appears square. Young birds are browner with v-shaped markings on their underparts.

 

Survey Techniques

Call and visual identification.

Species Call

 A shrill, high-pitched �ki-ki-ki-ki� and a slower, piercing 'kwiek-kwiek-kwieek'.

 

Similar Species

This species is almost identical in colour and shape to the larger Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus), however the tail of the Goshawk is more rounded in flight.

Distribution

Collared Sparrowhawks are found in fairly low numbers across most of Australia, excluding the more arid regions in WA and central Australia. They are also found in Papua New Guinea.

Country of Origin

Australia

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - Regional

Population numbers are low, but appear fairly steady over the past 25 years (COG).

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - National

Secure, not listed under the EPBC Act 1999.

LSCCES Population

Three sightings were made in Turner.

Associated vegetation community

This species is found in a range of areas, including rainforest, open forests, woodland  and river corridors through dry country. It has also adapted fairly well to suburbia.

 

Limiting Resources

Collared Sparrowhawks require a plentiful supply of small birds for food, easily accesable water and a good mix of tall trees and shrubs for hunting and nesting.

Breeding

The breeding season is generally in early spring to summer, taking about 11 weeks. Nests are built of sticks and leaves in high tree forks, a shallow bowl with a 50cm diameter. Leaves are added to the nest as lining throughout the breeding event. 2-4 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 35-37 days. She then shelters the young after hatching. The male helps out by feeding the female and the young in the month before they leave the nest.

Behaviour

This bird is a swift and crafty hunter, often seen perched patiently before suddenly darting down to the ground to swoop up its moving prey. Upon landing, it wags it tail from side to side, then plucks and eats its catch. It is a fairly secretive bird, however also one of the few birds that will hunt in suburban gardens. During the breeding season, birds call loudly around the nest, however they are not aggressive and calmly care for their eggs and young.

Functional Group

Carnivore

Food Species

The Collared Sparrowhawk will swoop at Rabbits (Oryctolgas cuniculas) and small birds on the ground, occassionaly taking very small birds while they are in flight. Within the suburbs it eats the more abundant small birds, especially introduced Common Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris ).

Predators

This species is to large and fast to have many predators itself and instead predates many small birds. However, Noisy Miners (Manorina melanocephala ) will aggressively attack this bird for dominance over nesting sites.

Interesting Fact

Collared Sparrowhawks have been known to follow their prey into houses.