Chestnut-shouldered Goshawk Erythrotriorchis buergersi Scientific name definitions

43–53 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); 575 g (one male); wingspan 85–109 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Large hawk, mostly blackish and rufous above and white below with dark streaks; shoulder feathers broadly edged rufous ; thighs barred; tail long, barred. Shorter wings than E. radiatus, and adult more pied than latter and lacking rufous on underparts. Rare melanistic morph occurs in some adults, similar to melanistic Accipiter meyerianus, but with more and narrower bars on tail and yellow eyes. Juvenile is rich rufous, marked with black, and with sooty flight feathers and tail.

Montane regions of EC to SE New Guinea.

Hill and lower montane rainforest, from sea-level to 1600 m (2 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ); probably generally at lower levels than Accipiter meyerianus. Tends to occur in forest interior, seldom soaring above forest (2 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ).

Unknown; no records outside normal range.

Poorly known, but apparently takes mostly birds; possibly also small mammals and reptiles (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Seen pursuing Hooded Butcherbird (Cracticus cassicus), and feeding on unidentified bird. Observed to perch in tree on ridge before making direct flying attack at distant prey in forest; also hunts by soaring.

Little known. Gives strong, high-pitched nasal upslurred notes, c. 1 per second, similar to call of Accipiter meyerianus but at slower rate and with characteristic forced quality (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

A fully grown but dependent juvenile, emitting begging calls, observed in Oct. No further information.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Data Deficient. CITES II. Rare and very little known, and seldom encountered by ornithologists. Just a handful of records (perhaps as few as eight specimens (3 Diamond, J. M. (1972). Avifauna of the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club 12. Cambridge, MA, USA. Close ) ), all from E New Guinea except for single sighting in Foya Mts (in N Papua). Only 21st century record appears to be a bird photographed in Mar 2014. Probably overlooked, although it does soar; appears to occur at very low densities. No population estimates; tentatively suggested that total may be in the hundreds only, but could be in four-figure range if distribution extensive (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). According to information summarized by BirdLife International, majority of this raptor’s habitat is unsuitable for logging, and the species is unlikely to be a target of hunters; any assessment of its status, however, is impossible from the few records currently known BirdLife International (2015) Species factsheet: Erythrotriorchis buergersi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/10/2015. . There is an urgent need for further fieldwork to search for the species in potentially suitable mountain forest; its ecological requirements and threats require study.