Little banded goshawk
The shikra (Accipiter badius) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae widely distributed across its native range. These birds have a sharp two-note call and have the typical flap and glide flight. Their scientific name comes from Latin and is roughly translated as "chestnut-colored or brown hawk”.
The shikra is a small raptor. It has short rounded wings and a narrow and somewhat long tail. Adults are whitish on the underside with fine rufous bars while the upperparts are grey. The lower belly is less barred and the thighs are whitish. Males have a red iris while the females have a less red (yellowish orange) iris and brownish upperparts apart from heavier barring on the underparts. The females are slightly larger. The mesial stripe on the throat is dark but narrow. In flight the male seen from below shows a light wing lining (underwing coverts) and has blackish wing tips. When seen from above the tail bands are faintly marked on the lateral tail feathers and not as strongly marked as in the Eurasian sparrowhawk. The central tail feathers are unbanded and only have a dark terminal band. Juveniles have dark streaks and spots on the upper breast and the wing is narrowly barred while the tail has dark but narrow bands. A post-juvenile transitional plumage is found with very strong barring on the contour feathers of the underside.
Shikras are found in Asia and Africa. Some birds migrate to Arabia, mostly to Pakistan, India, and South Asia but those living in Africa and India are resident and regularly move between very dry and humid areas. Shikras inhabit forests, woodlands, and open areas such as savannas, shrublands, and grasslands. They can also be found in farmlands, plantations, gardens, and in urban areas.
Shikras are usually seen singly or in pairs. They are diurnal birds that spend daylight hours flying high searching for prey. Their flight is typical with flaps and glides. During the breeding season, pairs soar on thermals and stoop at each other. Their flight usually draws alarms among smaller birds and squirrels. Small birds usually dive through the foliage to avoid shikra and a Small blue kingfisher has been observed diving into the water to escape. Babblers have been observed to rally together to drive away shikra. They will descend to the ground to feast on emerging winged termites or may hunt at dusk for small bats. The call of shikras is ‘pee-wee’, the first note being higher and the second being longer. In flight the calls are shorter and sharper ‘kik-ki ... kik-ki’. Their calls are often mimicked by drongos; this behavior is thought to aid in stealing food by alarming other birds that the drongos associate with.
Shikras are carnivores. They feed on rodents, squirrels, bats, small birds, and their eggs, small reptiles (mainly lizards but sometimes small snakes), and insects. On rare occasions, they may feed on carrion.
Shikras are monogamous and form pairs for life. They are solitary nesters. In India, these birds breed in summer between March and June. Their nest is a platform similar to that of crows lined with grass. Both partners help build the nest, twigs being carried in their feet; they may also use metal wires. The female usually lays a clutch of 3 to 4 eggs which are pale bluish-grey stippled on the broad end in black. The incubation period takes 18 to 21 days. When the chicks hatch, the male brings the food to a nest and the female feeds the young. Fledgling usually occurs when chicks are one month old and they will remain with their parents during their first year of life.
Shikras do not face any major threats at present. However, the loss of their native habitat and illegal trading may pose serious threats to these birds in the future.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the shikra is around 500,000-999,999 mature individuals. The European population consists of 50-210 pairs, which equates to 100-410 mature individuals, while the Arabian population consists of 600 breeding pairs, equating to 1,200 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
