Aviceda leuphotes
The Black Baza (Aviceda leuphotes) is a distinctive, medium-sized raptor of the family Accipitridae, known for its striking plumage and prominent crest. Measuring 30-35 cm in length with a wingspan of 66-76 cm, it presents a largely blackish upper body contrasting sharply with a white belly that is boldly barred with black, and a notable white throat patch often bisected by a dark stripe. Its most iconic feature is the long, pointed crest, giving it a unique silhouette among Asian raptors. Id...
This raptor primarily inhabits moist broadleaf forests, forest edges, open woodlands, and plantations (e.g., rubber, coffee, teak), often found near water bodies. It prefers low to moderate elevations, typically below 1500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, the Black Baza preys on large insects such as mantises, grasshoppers, cicadas, dragonflies, moths, and beetles. It supplements this with small reptiles like lizards and geckos, and amphibians such as frogs, typically caught through aerial hawking or sallying from a perch.
The Black Baza is a diurnal raptor, often exhibiting crepuscular hunting activity, and is particularly known for forming large communal roosts outside the breeding season, sometimes numbering hundreds of individuals in bamboo clumps or tall trees. Its foraging strategy typically involves aerial h...
The Black Baza exhibits a wide distribution across the Oriental biogeographical realm, encompassing both resident and migratory populations. Its breeding range stretches from the eastern Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan), northeastern India, and Bangladesh, through Myanmar and southern China, and across ...
Least Concern
- The Black Baza possesses one of the most prominent crests among all raptor species, making it instantly recognizable. - Despite being a raptor, its diet consists predominantly of large insects, a trait more common in smaller bird species. - Outside the breeding season, these birds can form impr...