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Monique Simons | all galleries >> Birds >> Raptors > Japanese Sparrowhawk
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Japanese Sparrowhawk

Koh Samui, Thailand

Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Accipiter
Species: Accipiter gularis

Nikon D300 ,Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro
1/200s f/5.6 at 300.0mm iso640 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Pat Marklevitz01-Jan-2010 06:19
Really enjoyed your galleries. Some very nice framing of and colours especially the birds, starfish, etc.. I spent time on Koh Samui 3 decades ago but not much of a photographer at that time. These photos were a nice reminder.
This is not a Honey Buzzard. Head shape, where the wings fall on tha tail, leg length, tail pattern and plain back rule that out. It is one of the accipiters/sparrowhaks. A combination of range and pattern makes it likely either Shikra or Japanese Sparrowhak. I would lean toward J.P. based on tail pattern-some barring on all feathers, quite strong on sides, no. of bars (4 visible), and especially the small white spots on the back. Either way a nice photo of a small forest hawk. These small accipiters can be quite difficult being close in appearance and often only affording brief looks through foliage.
Keep up the good work. Pat Marklevitz