Black Baza

The black baza is a small, distinctively coloured raptor, 30–35cm long with a 66–80cm wingspan and a weight of 168–224g. It has short, stout legs and feet with strong talons and a prominent crest, and when perched the upright crest and contrasting patterns make it hard to misidentify. The male has white scapulars, secondary coverts and secondaries; the female has white only on the scapulars and more chestnut bands underneath (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is found in the forests of north-east India, the eastern Himalayas, China and South-east Asia. Many populations are migratory, including those in the Indian region, which winter in the south of the peninsula and Sri Lanka. It is found in dense forest, often in small groups, perched on bare branches of tall trees rising above the canopy, and is gregarious on migration. Both sexes build the nest, incubate and brood, and the eggs hatch in 26–27 days (Wikipedia, general species account).