The voice of Madagascan cuckoo-hawks is unknown, but they may have a weak mew or whistle as do other cuckoo-hawks and bazas. Mating displays indicate that they use visual cues to communicate.
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks use their sensitive and sharp eyesight to visualize movement. Eyes of members of the genus Aviceda contain red oil droplets that act as filters, allowing them to detect movement and distinguish prey from the green of vegetation.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks are considered least concern by the IUCN redlist. Populations are threatened by deforestation, increasing human activity, and over-exploitation of wildlife. Their mapped distribution covers over 350,000 km^2, but their range is restricted to forest areas, which make up less than one-third of that area. Also, less than 10% of primary forest in Madagascar remains, putting this species at long-term risk. They do adapt to secondary growth habitat, but have disappeared from the deforested, dry plateau regions of southern Madagascar. Populations and densities have not been quantified but appear to be declining due to loss of habitat. The number of individuals is estimated at less than 10,000.
The Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the IUCN-World Conservation Union, has developed a Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) to help reduce the risk of extinction of many African Falconiformes, including Madagascan cuckoo-hawks. This includes preserving habitat, increasing information gathered in the field including ecological roles, improved monitoring techniques, and captive breeding.
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known adverse effects of A. madagascariensis on humans.
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks, as top predators, play an important ecosystem role in native forested habitats.
Positive Impacts: research and education
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks impact the populations of their prey and may be one of the top predators in their Malagasy habitats.
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks hide in foliage usually around forest edges and clearings, they actively hunt during the day or dusk. They hunt from a concealed perch in the canopy and snatch prey from foliage by gliding from the perched position. They have been observed gliding as far as 70 to 90 m for prey. Madagascan cuckoo-hawks eat mainly large insects, grasshoppers, small frogs, chameleons, other reptiles, and small mammals. They have been observed eating fork-marked lemurs Phaner furcifer and reptiles and geckos including Chamaeleo, Phelsuma, and Gekko.
Animal Foods: mammals; amphibians; reptiles; insects
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats terrestrial vertebrates, Insectivore )
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks range throughout the island of Madagascar in various forest habitat, and are found from sea level to about 1,800 m elevation. They are less common in the southern plateau part of the island.
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: island endemic
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks are native to Madagascar, distributed throughout forest zones, subtropical, tropical, and moist lowland areas. They are found in all types of forest, secondary forest growth, forest edges and forest clearings, but less commonly in palm and coconut plantations. Madagascan cuckoo-hawks are also found in evergreen and dry deciduous forests, wooded savanna, and dense scrub.
Range elevation: 0 to 1800 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest
Wetlands: marsh
Other Habitat Features: riparian
Lifespan of Madagascan cuckoo-hawks is not reported. Deforestation may be increasing mortality in populations.
Madagascan cuckoo-hawks are medium-sized raptors, about 40 to 45 cm long, with a wingspan from 31 to 33 cm, and a tail length of 19 to 23 cm. The head is small and flat with a slight crest, usually not visible in the field. Adults are dark mottled brown above, except for a whitish rump. The underparts are lighter, consisting of a white chest, lighter brown to white belly with brown bands; brown streaks on the throat and extending to a band across the chest. The long, narrow tail is notched with white upper-tail coverts. The upper side of the tail is brown; the under side of the tail is gray with three dark brown bands. The feet and short legs are a dull yellow-grey color with a slight pink cast. The cere is whitish.
Adults differ from juveniles by having brown or dull yellow eyes and a greyish brown orbital ring, slightly paler than the head. Juveniles have brown eyes, are darker brown above and extending on the sides of chest, and have more white bands on the head and base of tail.
This species is monotypic. They are considered a "superspecies" with the closely related species African cuckoo-hawks. Aviceda cuculoides differs from A. madagascariensis in its smaller size, less brown coloration, and more black edges on the body. Madagascan cuckoo-hawks are also confused with Madagascar buzzards which are heavier, larger, and stockier birds with short, rounded tails and broad rounded wings with unevenly marked wing-linings. Madagascar buzzards have no dark band on the breast and a brown or blotched chest (as opposed to Aviceda madagascariensis with a lighter, white chest). Madagascan cuckoo-hawks differ from Henst's goshawks and other smaller accipiters in being much larger and differing in shape and pattern. Henst's goshawks have short wings, no crest, and longer legs, with barred patterns on the chest and little contrast between chest and breast, or with a nearly plain pattern on both.
Range length: 40 to 45 cm.
Range wingspan: 315 to 331 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike; female larger
Information on predation on Madagascan cuckoo-hawks has not been reported.
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
Little is known about the reproductive behaviors of Madagascan cuckoo-hawks due to a lack of studies and banding efforts, especially in tropical species. Large territories make it difficult to observe raptor behavior and many raptors will avoid their nest area when an observer is present. Males are believed to attract mates with a soaring display of tumbling courtship flight and holding wings high while rocking. Displaying has been seen in September with flights straight above the canopy, then the male tilts sideways with a wing flutter. Similar species of Accipitridae are thought to be monogamous.
Mating System: monogamous
There is little data on reproduction in this species. Madagascan cuckoo-hawks are solitary birds, except during breeding season when they are paired with a mate. They lay two to three eggs from October to December. Nesting activity has been observed in November and December; flimsy nests are built high in the canopy and lined with leaves. A nest was observed at 14 m in a tree crown. As with other bazas, incubation probably takes about thirty two days and fledging about five weeks. Sexual maturity typically takes two years in related raptors.
Breeding interval: Breeding intervals in Madagascan cuckoo-hawks are not known.
Breeding season: Nesting has been observed in November and December; eggs are laid from October to December.
Range eggs per season: 1 to 4.
Average time to hatching: 32 days.
Average fledging age: 5 weeks.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous
There is little information on Madagascan cuckoo-hawk parental investment. Both parents contribute to caring for offspring that they incubate and care for through fledgling, which occurs at about 5 weeks after hatching. Pairs have been seen feeding insects to young in nests.
Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female)
The Madagascar cuckoo-hawk (Aviceda madagascariensis), also known as the Madagascar baza or the Madagascan cuckoo falcon, is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to Madagascar.
The adult Madagascar cuckoo-hawk has dark brown upperparts which are paler on the head and an off white rump. The underparts are white with the breast and upper breast and sides of the lower breast are heavily streaked with brown, these streaks becoming finer on the flanks, The tail has two narrow, pale bars and a pale tip. The underwing coverts are heavily barred with brown while the flight feathers have broad dark bands on their underside. At rest there is a short crest which projects from the rear crown. The juvenile is darker than the adult with white tips to the feathers obvious against the dark upperparts. Males and females are similar in size with a length of 300 mm (12 in) and a wingspan of 850 mm (33 in).[2]
The bird is endemic to Madagascar where it is reasonably common in the west, the north, and the east of the island. However, it is rather uncommon in the south and on the Central Plateau.[3]
In Madagascar this species is found in most forest types, including commercial plantations of coconut and other palms. It has been recorded from sea level to 1,600 m (5,200 ft) in altitude. Most observation are made at the edges of forests or in clearings, it can also be seen in towns.[3] It avoids the densest forests and the most arid or deforested areas in the south and the central plateau.[2]
The Madagascar cuckoo-hawk spends a lot of the day perched while searching for insects and lizards and other small vertebrates.[2] Chameleons and geckoes make up the majority of its diet but it also takes nestlings and larger insects such as locusts. It is most active at dawn and dusk but is apparently uncommon and rarely soars, being most often observed flying between patches of trees with its typical flight of deep flaps interspersed with glides.[3] Breeding has been recorded in November and December when the nest was situated at the top of a tree which was 14m tall and located in an area of degraded forest adjacent to a marsh.[4]
The Madagascar cuckoo-hawk (Aviceda madagascariensis), also known as the Madagascar baza or the Madagascan cuckoo falcon, is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to Madagascar.
