Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus Scientific name definitions

56–70 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); male 492 g; wingspan 81–94 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Long , graduated tail with large white spots (forming four white bars (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) ) and white U-shaped (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) rump; somewhat cuckoo-like appearance (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Superficially similar in structure to Australasian Megatriorchis, with smallish head and short wings (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), but aspects of colour and behaviour recall chanting goshawks (Melierax). Melanistic (dark grey) morph (existence previously disputed, but now confirmed (2 Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (1998). On the existence of a melanistic morph of the Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 118(2): 105-108. Close ) ) is blacker above and slate colour extends across entire underparts (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Female larger than male, by just 6% on average (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Iris yellow (2 Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (1998). On the existence of a melanistic morph of the Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 118(2): 105-108. Close ) to reddish yellow (brown in juvenile), and cere and legs yellow (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile is shorter-tailed (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and variably marked below, sometimes with large spots typical of several African Accipiter and Aviceda species; others almost unmarked, possibly in an intermediate plumage, with fine white bars on underparts. Unknown when achieves adult plumage, but tail reaches adult length only after 15 months (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Sierra Leone and Liberia E to Central African Republic, DRCongo and, locally, S South Sudan and W Uganda (Semliki Forest) (3 Stevenson, T., and J. Fanshawe (2002). Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi. T. & A.D. Poyser, London, United Kingdom. Close ).

Lowland tropical evergreen forest ; rarely in open (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and far more regularly heard and than seen (2 Demey, R. and Fishpool, L.D.C. (1998). On the existence of a melanistic morph of the Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 118(2): 105-108. Close ), but ventures into adjacent gallery forest and also secondary forest (including degraded Raphia swamp forest (4 Dowsett, R. J., and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2011). The avifauna of Benin: additions and corrections. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 18(2):148–167. Close ) ). Also reported for forest-grassland mosaic (5 Halleux, D. (1994). Annotated bird list of Macenta Prefecture, Guinea. Malimbus 16(1):10–29. Close ). Recorded from sea level to c. 900 m (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Resident and sedentary; however, a recent record in Benin was suspected of being "no more than a wanderer" (4 Dowsett, R. J., and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2011). The avifauna of Benin: additions and corrections. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 18(2):148–167. Close ).

Known to take squirrels, bats and rodents; stout legs and feet suggest preference for mammalian prey, but also takes some birds. Long tail permits agile pursuit around and among branches. Hunts more often at low levels in understorey than in forest canopy, sometimes near ground level along logging tracks. Difficult to observe , but will cross clearings and descend to ground; accused of taking some free range poultry.

Both sexes give a soft "klee-klee-klee-klee-klee-klee" (6 Demey, R., and L. D. C. Fishpool (1994). The birds of Yapo Forest, Ivory Coast. Malimbus 16(2):100–122. Close ). A long, fairly high-pitched scream, repeated twice in close succession, the second note slightly more insistent and louder  ; sings in flight (4 Dowsett, R. J., and F. Dowsett-Lemaire (2011). The avifauna of Benin: additions and corrections. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 18(2):148–167. Close ); however, reported to be usually silent (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Nesting habits undescribed until very recently. Adult seen feeding newly fledged juvenile in Sept, in Sierra Leone; probably Jul–Aug in Cameroon (i.e. at height of wet season (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) ), based on condition of gonads in collected specimen; also adult with juvenile in Oct, in Ivory Coast (6 Demey, R., and L. D. C. Fishpool (1994). The birds of Yapo Forest, Ivory Coast. Malimbus 16(2):100–122. Close ). Calling within forest may reveal presence. Nests found in Ivory Coast in Mar and Apr were c. 20–25 m and 35 m above ground, respectively, of sticks, c. 40–70 cm in diameter, and constructed by both sexes; one nest was in a Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae) tree; Mar nest was still under construction, while Apr nest contained at least one, large young with white down (7 Rainey, H. and Sinclair, I. (2003). First nests of Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus found in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 56-58. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Secretive but widely recorded from primary forest; restricted to large tracts of dense forest, although readily occurs at edge of clearings. Much affected by deforestation, due to intolerance of secondary habitats, and has probably decreased considerably throughout much of W Africa. Not uncommon in Sierra Leone, but widespread in Ivory Coast, where species found in virtually all of the country's protected areas (7 Rainey, H. and Sinclair, I. (2003). First nests of Long-tailed Hawk Urotriorchis macrourus found in Ivory Coast. Malimbus. 25(1): 56-58. Close ); widespread and common in Ghana ; few recent records in Nigeria (8 Demey, R., F. Dowsett-Lemaire, and R. J. Dowsett (2003). Notable bird observations from Nigeria, including the first records of Spot-breasted Ibis Bostrychia rara and Yellow Longbill Macroshenus flavicans. Malimbus 25(2):85–94. Close ). Not known to be affected by pesticides.