The order Accipitriformes contains the diurnal (active during the day) birds of prey: hawks, goshawks, eagles, kites, vultures, ospreys, secretary birds. These birds have sometimes been considered part of the Falconiformes which contains the falcons, but DNA evidence indicates the orders should be separate.

The Accipitridae family contains the hawks, goshawks, eagles, kites, Old World vultures. Subfamilies are often used to group related species, but the subfamiles for much of Accipitridae are in flux. They will be used here if there is agreement for their members.

This page contains species the goshawks, sparrowhawks, harriers, bazas, honey buzzards.


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Goshawks, Sparrowhawks

They are primarily woodland birds that hunt by sudden dashes from a concealed perch, with long tails, broad wings and high visual acuity facilitating this lifestyle. [abstracted from Wikipedia]

Genus Accipiter
See also Genus Melierax for more Goshawks.

Goshawk, African  Accipiter tachiro  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Eagle Encounters, South Africa  2) Dick -  World , South Africa 


Goshawk, Brown  Accipiter fasciatus  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) Aviceda - Kurwongbah, SE Queensland, Australia  2) JJ - Tasmania, Australia


Goshawk, Crested  Accipiter trivirgatus  Found: Asia
Photographed by: Ainus


Goshawk, Fiji  Accipiter rufitorques   Endemic to Fiji
Photographed by:  Aviceda
Closely related to Brown Goshawk


Goshawk, Grey  Accipiter novaehollandiae  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) David Cook - Springbrook National Park, Queensland, Australia  2) Aviceda - SE Queensland


Goshawk, Northern aka Goshawk  Accipiter gentilis  Found: North America
Photographed by: Elaine R Wilson - Jericho Beach Park, Vancouver, British Columbia
Juvenile



Cooper and Sharp-shinned hawks are difficult to distinguish. For an excellent guide, see the Cornell site

Hawk, Cooper's Accipiter cooperii     Found: North America
Photographed by:   1) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center  2) Ted Grussing - Arizona 
   3) Alan D Wilson - Fort Fraser Rise, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia 
   4) Alan - Bella Vista Road, Vernon, British Columbia  3) Glen Young
3, 4) Juvenile


Hawk, Sharp-shinned Accipiter striatus   Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - New Hampshire  2) Dario Sanches  3) Trisha Shears
3) Juvenile


Shikra  Accipiter badius  Found: Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Thoi Gujarat  2) Ravi Vaidyanathan


Sparrowhawk, Collared  Accipiter cirrocephalus  Found: Australasia
Photographed by: Aviceda - Kobble Creek, SE Queensland, Australia


Sparrowhawk, Eurasian aka Northern Sparrowhawk  Accipiter nisus Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1, 3) Eddy Van 3000 2) Meneer Zjeroen  4) Christian Knoch



Genus Megatriorchis - 1 Species

Goshawk, Doria's Megatriorchis doriae Found: New Guinea
Photographed by: markaharper1





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Chanting Goshawks

These long-tailed hawks are found in Africa

Genus Melierax

Goshawk, Dark Chanting  Melierax metabates  Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1, 2, 3) Arno Meintjes  4) Nevit Dilmen - Tanzania  5) Frank Vassen - Namibia 
   6) I Love Trees at Kapama Game Reserve, South Africa



Goshawk, Eastern Chanting  Melierax poliopterus  Found: East Africa
Photograhped by  1) Lip Kee Yap  2) Christiaan Kooyman


Goshawk, Pale Chanting aka Southern Pale Chanting ç  Melierax canorus    Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Alastair Rae 2)  Francesco Veronesi   3) David Berliner - Tanqua Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa


Goshawk, Gabar  Melierax gabar   Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Neil Strickland





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Harriers and Harrier Hawks

Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles, or birds. Most harriers are placed in the genus Circus, the scientific name arising from the circling movements female and male make when courting.

Genus Circus

Harrier, Eastern Marsh Circus spilonotus  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1)  Frankie Chu  2) Andy Li


Harrier, Spotted  Circus assimilis  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) Ms Voren   2) David Cook - Tuen, Queensland, Australia.


Harrier, Western Marsh  Circus aeruginosus  Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Ferran Pestana  2) Artur Mikolajewski - Lasy Janowskie, Poland


Harrier, Long-winged  Circus buffoni  Found: South America
Photographed by:  1, 2, 4, 5) Cláudio Timm in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil   3) Arria Belli
1, 2) Dark form



Harrier, Northern  aka Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus Found: North America, Central America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by:  1) Alan D Wilson - Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Near Woodland, Washington
   2) Alan Wilson - Road Dike, Richmond, British Columbia  3) Dick Daniels - North Carolina


Harrier, Swamp  Circus approximans  Found: Australasia
Photographed by Richard Mowll - New Zealand



Genus Polyboroides

Hawk, African Harrier aka Harrier Hawk aka Gymnogene Polyboroides typus   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Charlie Westerinen - northeast Botswana1  2) Dick Daniels - World of Birds, South Africa
    3, 4) Arno Meintjes 





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Bazas and Honey Buzzards
These medium-sized species tend to favor warm climates.


Genus Aviceda

Baza, Black  Aviceda leuphotes  Found: Asia
Photographed by Johnny Wee


Baza, Pacific Aviceda subcristata     Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) Aviceda - Kobble Creek, SE Queensland, Austalia  2) Lip Kee Yap - Wulagi, Darwin, NT, AU



Genus Pernis

Buzzard, European Honey aka Honey Buzzard  Pernis apivorus   Found: Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1)  Rainer Altenkamp   2) Jo Mur - Zambia


Buzzard, Oriental Honey  Pernis ptilorhynchus  Found: Asia
Photographed by J M Garg