Melierax

Melierax
Pale chanting goshawk (Melierax canorus)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Subfamily: Accipitrinae
Genus: Melierax
G.R. Gray, 1840
Type species
Falco musicus[1]
Daudin, 1800

Melierax is a genus of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Established by George Robert Gray in 1840, it contains the following species:[2]

Genus Melierax – G.R. Gray, 1840 – three species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Dark chanting goshawk

Melierax metabates
Heuglin, 1861

Five subspecies
 sub-Saharan Africa, but avoids the rainforest of the Congo basin and the far south Size: 45cm

Habitat: savannah, open woodland

Diet: birds, small mammals, reptiles 		 LC 


Pale chanting goshawk

Melierax canorus
(Thunberg, 1799)

Two subspecies
  • M. c. argentior - Clancey, 1960
  • M. c. canorus - (Thunberg, 1799)
South Africa Size: 55cm

Habitat: desert

Diet: small mammals and reptiles 		 LC 


Eastern chanting goshawk

Melierax poliopterus
Cabanis, 1868 		East Africa Size: 49 to 55cm

Habitat: semi-desert, grassland

Diet: lizards, smaller birds, insects 		 LC 



The name Melierax is a combination of the Greek words melos, meaning "song" and hierax, meaning "hawk".[3]

References

  1. ^ "Accipitridae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  2. ^ "ITIS Report: Melierax". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  3. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Names. London, UK: Christopher Helm. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.

Data related to Melierax at Wikispecies


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