Arovarpushaukka / Shikra Accipiter badius

Something about the variation of this widespread species.

(1.) Adult male, 7 July 2005, Karaoy, Almaty province, Kazakstan. The birds in Kazakstan are of the migratory subspecies cenchroides, which is large and pale.

(2.) Adult male, 7 July 2005, Karaoy, Almaty province, Kazakstan. This individual seems not to be so sandy-brown as cenchroides is sometimes illustrated, but quite greyish. Much paler than Levant Sparrowhawk Accipiter brevipes and with a yellow iris (black on Levant Sparrowhawk).

(3.) Adult male cenchroides with more reddish eye, 27 May 2008, Kolshengel, Almaty province, Kazakstan. The central rectrices are unbarred.

(4.) Adult male cenchroides, 29 May 2008, Karaoy, Almaty province, Kazakstan. Very pale underwing-coverts and a distinct throat stripe.

(5.) Adult female with young at nest, 8 July 2005, Karaoy, Almaty province, Kazakstan. The nest was situated in a garden inside a village. The nestlings still have dark eyes, juveniles will have yellow.

(6.) Female cenchroides, 27 May 2008 Topar, Almaty province, Kazakstan. The remiges still seem to be juvenile, with clear-cut sparse bars and no uniform black on wing-tips. However, most of the underparts have been moulted.

(7.) Adult male, 10 December 2003, Goa, India. Wintering cenchroides occurs in the Indian subcontinent, but this is probably of the local race dussumieri, which is smaller and darker.

(8.) Adult male, 21 January 2007, Goa, India. A dussumieri - like bird. The undersides of the outermost rectrices are almost unbarred. Adult birds have greyish and not so clear-cut bars on the secondaries.

(9.) Female 22 November 2007, Uttar Pradesh, India. With juvenile flight-feathers, but most of the underparts moulted.

(10.) A pair, 27 January 2007, Goa, India.

(11.) The same pair, 27 January 2007, Goa, India. The mail has more uniform black wing-tips and almost unbarred secondaries.

(12.) Juvenile, 11 December 2003, Goa, India.

(13.) Juvenile, 19 November 2003, Goa, India. Seems to be somewhat darker than the bird in photo 12.

(14.) Juvenile, 21 January 2007, Goa, India. The breast patterning is different from Eurasian Sparrowhawk, which also has six protruding primaries ("fingers"), Shikra has only five.

(15.) Adult male, 9 January 2005, Abuko, Gambia. Subspecies sphenurus, which is darker than cenchroides and dussumieri.

(16.) Adult female, 9 January 2005, Abuko, Gambia

(17.) Juvenile, 9 January 2005, Abuko, Gambia. Not that much different from the Indian juvenile in photo 13.