Jerdon’s Baza (Aviceda jerdoni), also called the Brown Lizard Hawk, is a moderate-sized raptor which belongs to the family Accipitridae. It is found in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Southern China, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. In India, it is found in the foothills of Terai, evergreen forests and in tea estates. It is named after the surgeon-naturalist Thomas C Jerdon who lived in India from 1836 to 1870.
It is generally brown in colour with yellow eyes and whitish underparts. Its tail is brown and has three dark bands, of which the last is the broadest and darkest. It is easily distinguishable by its white-tipped black crest that sets it apart from other hawks. It feeds on large insects, lizards and small rodents. It is a sedentary bird and likes to remain in its chosen habitat all through the year.
It is generally a shy bird, active primarily during twilight. Its call is a long-drawn ‘to-wheeeh’ or ‘kit-kit-kit’. It rarely soars high above the forest and prefers to hunt and travel under the forest canopy. It may be spotted in pairs or family parties of 3 to 5. It usually ambushes its prey from a concealed perch and unlike other raptors; this hawk carries its prey in its beak and not in its talons. The female usually lays 1 to 2 unmarked white eggs and the incubation period lasts between 32 and 35 days. Both the male and female take part in incubation and in feeding the chicks.
This hawk has a wide range and is considered least vulnerable. It is listed under ‘Least Concern’ in the IUCN Red List.
Picture Credit : Google
