New Britain Sparrowhawk Accipiter brachyurus Scientific name definitions

27–36 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), female up to 20% larger than male (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); wingspan 50–62 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Small Accipiter with blackish-slate upperparts (darkest on crown), clear-cut rufous collar, whiter throat and belly, pale grey breast becoming rufous-toned at sides, pointed wings, very short tail, relatively deep-based bill, and long narrow legs and toes (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Bare parts: irides dark red (brown in juvenile), cere greenish-yellow (greenish in juvenile), and legs yellow to orange-yellow (paler yellow in juvenile) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Distinguished from adult of sympatric A. luteoschistaceus, the most similar species in range, by yellow (not orange-red) facial skin and legs, long middle toe and rufous collar; A. princeps is larger, paler above and whiter below, and has orange eyes and legs, while relevant race (dampieri) of A. hiogaster is pale grey above and pink below in adult plumage (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile has strongly dark-barred rufous upperparts and tail, blackish crown with rufous feather fringes, and pale buff underparts coarsely streaked brown (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Has been suggested that this species has distinctive immature plumage, distinguished by combination of rufous collar, barred breast, orange cere and legs, and dark red eyes, but confirmation is required (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

New Britain and S New Ireland (Bismarck Archipelago).

Tropical rainforest, forest edge and partly cleared areas; from sea-level to at least 900 m on New Britain, but recorded at 1200–1800 m on New Ireland (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Unknown; no records outside normal range, although juveniles presumably wander to some extent (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

No information. Morphology (especially foot structure (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) ) suggests that it probably hunts small birds of densely wooded areas.

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

No information available.

VULNERABLE. CITES II. Very poorly known; rare to scarce and seldom encountered by ornithologists. Thought to have very small subpopulations on two islands and to be declining in lowlands. Confined to New Britain, from where only a handful of records, and New Ireland, where recently discovered and found to be commonest raptor (though not very common) in montane forests (2 Beehler, B. M., Angle, J. P., Gibbs, D., Hedemark, M. and Kuro, D. (2001). A field survey of the resident birds of southern New Ireland. In:. Close ). True distribution uncertain owing to confusion with other members of genus on New Britain, but clearly localized and with low population densities. BirdLife International puts population in band 2500–9999 mature individuals, equating to 3750–14,999 (or c. 3500–15,000) individuals in total within range extent of 46,400 km². Primary threat throughout range is logging of lowland and hill forests. In recent decades conversion of lowland forest to oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations has been intense in both New Britain and New Ireland; on former island, nearly 20% of habitat suitable for this hawk was cleared in 15 years from early 1990s, and there are no signs that this rate of loss is slowing (3 Buchanan, G.M., Butchart, S.H.M., Dutson, G.C.L., Pilgrim, J.D., Steininger, M.K., Bishop, K.D. and Mayaux, P. (2008). Using remote sensing to inform conservation status assessment: estimates of recent deforestation rates on New Britain and the impacts upon endemic birds. Biological Conservation. 141(1): 56–66. Close ). In addition, mining could soon become a threat, as two exploration licences (covering 1696 km²) were granted in C & E New Britain in 2012, and all forests in Bismarck Archipelago are at risk from mining interests; unlike logging and the planting of oil palms, generally restricted to lowland areas, mining operations, though unlikely to affect large areas of forest in short term, can have adverse impact in montane areas and could threaten important upland forest refugia in the future. Proposed conservation measures for this species include, among others, surveys on New Britain to investigate its status in logged forest, its altitudinal range, and its abundance at different elevations; surveys in New Ireland; employing of local hunters to find nests, and intensive observation of these nests; mapping of remaining forest, logging concessions, oil palm plantations and areas of proposed expansion; and charting of existing and proposed mining operations. The monitoring of trends in forest loss should continue. Most importantly, there is an urgent need for establishment of a viable and effective conservation programme within the region.