Rufous-necked Sparrowhawk Accipiter erythrauchen Scientific name definitions

26–35 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); 156 g (one male ceramensis) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); wingspan 47–65 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Several congenerics share Moluccan range: A. henicogrammus is larger and lacks rufous collar, while A. meyerianus is also larger and either black and white or all black, A. griseogularis (N Moluccas) has paler upperparts and rufous underparts (but shares collar), and A. novaehollandiae (S Moluccas) has deep rufous underparts, lacks collar and pallidiceps of Ambon has whitish head (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Present species is small, slender sparrowhawk with dark slate upperparts, whitish throat with dusky speckling, rufous-pink underparts, mid-length, pointed wings, short, faintly barred tail but long legs and toes (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), which is distinguished by bright rufous collar; underparts unmarked. Female is 13–28% larger and is considered to be slightly darker above and greyer below (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Bare parts: irides yellow (duller in juvenile) and cere and legs greenish yellow (greener in juvenile) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile has typical brown-streaked cream underparts of genus, blackish-brown upperparts (the feathers with variable rufous fringes, especially on hindneck) and closely barred tail (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Race ceramensis slightly larger and blacker above, with some pale grey on underparts; juvenile has broader rufous fringes to feathers of upperparts (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Primary forest in lowlands and hills, from sea-level up to 1450 m (2 Reeve, A. H., T. Haryoko, M. K. Poulsen, P.-H. Fabre, and K. A. Jønsson (2014). New ornithological records from Buru and Seram, south Maluku, Indonesia, 1995–2012. Forktail 30:10–22. Close ), but recorded just twice (both times at 150 m) (3 Ekstrom, J.M.M. and Isherwood, I. (2000). New and noteworthy bird records from the island of Seram, Maluku. Kukila. 11: 51–57. Close ) below 650 m on Seram, where suspected to be largely replaced by A. novaehollandiae (4 Rheindt, F. E., and R. O. Hutchinson (2007). New island records and new elevational records of birds from South Maluku, Indonesia. Forktail 23:158–161. Close ). Also in tree plantations and selectively logged lowland forest.

Apparently sedentary.

Small birds. Prey captured in typical sparrowhawk fashion, after quick dash from hidden perch in forest or at forest edge. One seen chasing Red Lory (Eos bornea).

Undescribed (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

No information available.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. CITES II. Restricted-range species, endemic to Maluku province, Indonesia. Status very poorly known. Uncommon, but unobtrusive and easily overlooked. Population tentatively estimated, based on extent of available habitat, at up to 10,000 mature individuals BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Accipiter erythrauchen. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/07/2014. . Main threat is habitat loss through commercial logging, forest clearance to create plantations of oil palm, coffee, rubber and timber species, and smaller scale felling for shifting agriculture, mining and settlements (5 Vetter, J. (2009). Impacts of deforestation on the conservation status of endemic birds in the North Maluku Endemic Bird Area from 1990-2003. M.S. thesis, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA. Close ). General conversion of humid forest to scrub may increase the probability of wildfires, which have affected large areas on other Indonesian islands (5 Vetter, J. (2009). Impacts of deforestation on the conservation status of endemic birds in the North Maluku Endemic Bird Area from 1990-2003. M.S. thesis, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA. Close ). Analysis of deforestation in the Northern Maluku Endemic Bird Area using remote sensing data revealed that subspecies erythrauchen lost 19% of its forest habitat between 1990 and 2003, and that a total of 34% will have been lost within three generations, if past rates of forest loss continue (5 Vetter, J. (2009). Impacts of deforestation on the conservation status of endemic birds in the North Maluku Endemic Bird Area from 1990-2003. M.S. thesis, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA. Close ). This study triggered uplisting to Near Threatened in 2014, because the species is highly forest dependent and it is therefore likely that its population will undergo a moderately rapid decline over three generations BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Accipiter erythrauchen. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/07/2014. . There is no information deforestation rates in the southern portion of the species range not covered by this study and inhabited by subspecies ceramensis BirdLife International (2014) Species factsheet: Accipiter erythrauchen. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/07/2014. .