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Kites, Hawks, Eagles

The Accipitridae family, consisting of species such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and some vultures, comprises 255 species across 70 genera. These birds of prey range from small to large with strongly hooked beaks and dining habits that include insects, medium-sized mammals, carrion, and occasionally fruit. They are found globally, except Antarctica, with some species exhibiting migratory behavior. Many members of the family exhibit sexual dimorphism, with females generally larger. Accipitrids possess acute vision and strong talons for hunting. They build nests in secure locations and often return to the same site, with breeding seasons varying in length. Eggs are laid at intervals, which can lead to siblicide as a survival strategy when resources are scarce. Young accipitrids fledge after an extended period compared to other birds and may roam for years before reaching maturity. The family displays a diverse array of plumage and size, and while most species are solitary hunters, some, such as the Harris's hawk, demonstrate cooperative hunting and nesting behavior. Molecular studies and fossil records suggest a rich evolutionary history dating back tens of millions of years, with modern genera identified since the Early Oligocene. The intricate relationships within the family and their phylogenetic placement continue to be a subject of scientific investigation.

Regions

Categories

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Accentors
African & Green Broadbills
Albatrosses
Alcippe Fulvettas
Anhingas, Darters
Asian Barbets
Auks
Austral Storm Petrels
Australasian Babblers
Australasian Robins
Australasian Warblers
Australasian Wrens
Australo-Papuan Bellbirds
Babblers, Scimitar Babblers
Barn Owls
Bee-eaters
Birds-of-paradise
Boatbills
Bristlehead
Bulbuls
Buntings
Bushtits
Bustards
Buttonquail
Caracaras, Falcons
Cassowaries, Emu
Cettia Bush Warblers & Allies
Chats, Old World Flycatchers
Cisticolas & Allies
Cockatoos
Cormorants, Shags
Coursers, Pratincoles
Crab-plover
Cranes
Crombecs, African Warblers
Crows, Jays
Cuckoos
Cuckooshrikes
Cupwings
Dippers
Drongos
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Elachura
Fairy Flycatchers
Fairy-bluebirds
Fantails
Figbirds, Orioles, Turnagra
Finches, Euphonias
Finfoots
Flamingos
Flowerpeckers
Flufftails
Frigatebirds
Frogmouths
Gannets, Boobies
Goldcrests, Kinglets
Grassbirds & Allies
Grebes
Ground Babblers
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Herons, Bitterns
Honeyeaters
Honeyguides
Hoopoes
Hornbills
Hylocitrea
Ibisbill
Ibises, Spoonbills
Ifrit
Indigobirds, Whydahs
Ioras
Jacanas
Jewel-babblers, Quail-thrushes
Kingfishers

Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Larks
Laughingthrushes & Allies
Leaf Warblers & Allies
Leafbirds
Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Magpie Goose
Megapodes
Melampittas
Monarchs
Mottled Berryhunter
Nightjars
Northern Storm Petrels
Nuthatches
Old World Parrots
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
Ospreys
Owls
Oystercatchers
Painted-snipes
Parrotbills & Allies
Pelicans
Penduline Tits
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Pheasants & Allies
Pigeons, Doves
Pittas
Ploughbill
Plovers
Rail-babbler
Rails, Crakes & Coots
Reed Warblers & Allies
Rollers
Sandpipers, Snipes
Shrikes
Sittellas
Skuas
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
Storks
Sunbirds
Swallows, Martins
Swifts
Sylviid Babblers
Thrushes
Tits, Chickadees
Treecreepers
Treeswifts
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Typical Broadbills
Vangas & Allies
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Wallcreeper
Waxbills, Munias & Allies
Waxwings
Weavers, Widowbirds
Whipbirds
Whistlers & Allies
White-eyes
Woodpeckers
Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
Wrens
Jayshrike

Moluccan Goshawk

Accipiter henicogrammus
A photo of a Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis)

Mountain Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus nipalensis

Mountain Serpent Eagle

Spilornis kinabaluensis
A photo of a Pacific Baza (Aviceda subcristata)

Pacific Baza

Aviceda subcristata

Pallas's Fish Eagle

Haliaeetus leucoryphus
A photo of a Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) , male

Pallid Harrier

Circus macrourus

Papuan Eagle

Harpyopsis novaeguineae

Papuan Harrier

Circus spilothorax

Philippine Eagle

Pithecophaga jefferyi

Philippine Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus philippensis

Philippine Honey Buzzard

Pernis steerei

Philippine Serpent Eagle

Spilornis holospilus
A photo of a Pied Harrier (Circus melanoleucos) , male

Pied Harrier

Circus melanoleucos

Pinsker's Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus pinskeri

Pygmy Eagle

Hieraaetus weiskei
A photo of a Red-headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) , female

Red-headed Vulture

Sarcogyps calvus

Rufous-bellied Eagle

Lophotriorchis kienerii

Rufous-necked Sparrowhawk

Accipiter erythrauchen

Rufous-winged Buzzard

Butastur liventer
A photo of a Shikra (Accipiter badius)

Shikra

Accipiter badius
A photo of a Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)

Short-toed Eagle

Circaetus gallicus
A photo of a Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)

Slender-billed Vulture

Gyps tenuirostris
A photo of a Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) , male

Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Spot-tailed Sparrowhawk

Accipiter trinotatus
A photo of a Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga)

Spotted Eagle

Clanga clanga
A photo of a Spotted Harrier (Circus assimilis)

Spotted Harrier

Circus assimilis
A photo of a Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis)

Steppe Eagle

Aquila nipalensis

Sulawesi Goshawk

Accipiter griseiceps

Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus lanceolatus

Sulawesi Serpent Eagle

Spilornis rufipectus

Swamp Harrier

Circus approximans
A photo of a Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax)

Tawny Eagle

Aquila rapax

Variable Goshawk

Accipiter hiogaster

Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk

Accipiter rhodogaster

Wallace's Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus nanus
A photo of a Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax)

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Aquila audax
A photo of a Whistling Kite (Haliastur sphenurus)

Whistling Kite

Haliastur sphenurus
A photo of a White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

White-bellied Sea Eagle

Haliaeetus leucogaster
A photo of a White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa)

White-eyed Buzzard

Butastur teesa
A photo of a White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)

White-rumped Vulture

Gyps bengalensis
A photo of a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

White-tailed Eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla
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Species Categories

AccentorsAfrican & Green BroadbillsAlbatrossesAlcippe FulvettasAnhingas, DartersAsian BarbetsAuksAustral Storm PetrelsAustralasian BabblersAustralasian RobinsAustralasian WarblersAustralasian WrensAustralo-Papuan BellbirdsBabblers, Scimitar BabblersBarn OwlsBee-eatersBirds-of-paradiseBoatbillsBristleheadBulbulsBuntingsBushtitsBustardsButtonquailCaracaras, FalconsCassowaries, EmuCettia Bush Warblers & AlliesChats, Old World FlycatchersCisticolas & AlliesCockatoosCormorants, ShagsCoursers, PratincolesCrab-ploverCranesCrombecs, African WarblersCrows, JaysCuckoosCuckooshrikesCupwingsDippersDrongosDucks, Geese, SwansElachuraFairy FlycatchersFairy-bluebirdsFantailsFigbirds, Orioles, TurnagraFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFlowerpeckersFlufftailsFrigatebirdsFrogmouthsGannets, BoobiesGoldcrests, KingletsGrassbirds & AlliesGrebesGround BabblersGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHoneyeatersHoneyguidesHoopoesHornbillsHylocitreaIbisbillIbises, SpoonbillsIfritIndigobirds, WhydahsIorasJacanasJewel-babblers, Quail-thrushesKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLaughingthrushes & AlliesLeaf Warblers & AlliesLeafbirdsLongspurs, Snow BuntingsMagpie GooseMegapodesMelampittasMonarchsMottled BerryhunterNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOld World ParrotsOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOspreysOwlsOystercatchersPainted-snipesParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPittasPloughbillPloversRail-babblerRails, Crakes & CootsReed Warblers & AlliesRollersSandpipers, SnipesShrikesSittellasSkuasStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbirdsSwallows, MartinsSwiftsSylviid BabblersThrushesTits, ChickadeesTreecreepersTreeswiftsTrogonsTropicbirdsTypical BroadbillsVangas & AlliesVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWallcreeperWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWeavers, WidowbirdsWhipbirdsWhistlers & AlliesWhite-eyesWoodpeckersWoodswallows, Butcherbirds & AlliesWrensJayshrike

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