General Description

Moderate-sized hawk with two colour morphs. One is pure white with yellow or dark red eyes. The other has grey wings, a grey tail, dark red eyes, and is very pale grey underneath with fine grey barring on its chest. Both have bright yellow legs and cere (fleshy part with nostrils above the bill). Body size 40 to 54 cm.

Biology

An aggressive hunter that flies boldly through trees and dense vegetation in pursuit of small birds, which it strikes unawares and at speed. The grey morph is more common in eastern Australia; the white version is found in north Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. However the two morphs interbreed. Their nest is a solid cup of sticks and twigs lined with green leaves usually high up in a tree. They lay 2 to 4 dull white eggs with reddish brown to purplish markings.

Distribution

Northern and eastern Australia.

Habitat

Rainforest, forests, open forest and thickly-wooded watercourses.

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