Tachyspiza cirrocephala
Collared Sparrowhawk at Bega, NSW
Identify this sighting
| Tachyspiza cirrocephala | Liam.m | 4 Nov 2021 | |
| Tachyspiza cirrocephala | Liam.m | 1 Nov 2021 | |
| Tachyspiza fasciata | StephH | 24 Aug 2020 |
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User's notes
On the basis of the face in the photo I would have said that this was a sparrowhawk, but its size made me think goshawk. Couldn't see tail or feet for better ID confirmation.
4 comments
25 Aug 2020
Certainly it doesn't look particularly beetle-browed, but to me the shape and proportions of the bill, its relative size to the head as a whole, and the degree of 'over-bite' of the upper bill is suggestive of Brown Goshawk. It is fairly bulky, so I'd be thinking female. Does this fit with your recollection of size - a female BG would be noticeably larger than a CS.
25 Aug 2020
Thanks Harvey and Jackie. The bird was of the annoyingly in between size that made it inconclusive for me, but I think its muscly bulk is a key determinant, and both your comments support the conclusion that it's a goshawk.
25 Aug 2020
Great shot Steph, I agree with Max that this bird is more likely to be a Collared Sparrowhawk. The rounded head with less pronounced features and no beetle-brow suggest to me that species. And when you say the size suggests Brown Goshawk, a female Collared SH is the same size as a male Brown Goshawk, with female of the latter being much larger again. Pity we can't see the tail, legs and toes which are different for both species.
25 Aug 2020
Hi Max - I did note that component of the Australian Bird Guide distinguishing features, but don't know how much weight to put on it. It is not mentioned in Stephen Debus's field guides (Birds of Prey of Australia), and it is not explicitly mentioned in the HANZAB texts. At best, the differences identified in HANZAB are : Brown Goshawk - "Bill, grey-black to black with light-grey to light blue-grey base." vs Collared Sparrowhawk - "Bill, grey-black to black with light-grey, pale-grey or light bluish-grey base of varying extent." Given the subjectivity of these descriptions, the "variability" of extent, and the lack of detail in the photo (I didn't do any computer enlargement or manipulation), I don't know how reliable that feature is, particularly in this instance.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.853095-36.682918
- Places Bega, NSW
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 24 Aug 2020 07:37 PM Recorded on
- StephH Recorded by
Collections
Species information
- Tachyspiza cirrocephala Scientific name
- Collared Sparrowhawk Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 814.48m Recorded at altitude
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Synonyms
Accipiter (Paraspizias) cirrocephalus cirrocephalus Accipiter (Paraspizias) cirrocephalus
Seasonal activity
-
Was this a nesting or breeding site?
JFMAMJJASOND
Record quality
Quality score
3 / 7
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- Description
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Additional attributes