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6

Collared Sparrowhawk (Accipiter cirrocephalus) Alternate name(s): "(Australian) Sparrowhawk", "Chicken-hawk*" Aboriginal name(s): Race "cirrhocephalus": "galanbany"/"garahbany", "milgin" [bundjalung]; "weRayn-weRayn" [eastern djadjawurrung]; "djilildjili", "minmin", "koordop" (WA); "bilbil" Size: 30-40 cm; wing span 55-80 cm Weight: 100-155 g (male), 160-300 g (female)

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Collared Sparrowhawks are small raptors. They have a grey head, brown neck and brown and white thinly barred front (breast, belly, vent). The upperwings are grey, the tail is barred grey. The underwing shows brown and white coverts, and grey and white barred flight feathers. The tips of the primaries are dark-grey. The underside of the tail is barred grey. The upper legs are covered with brown feathers. The bill is dark-grey, with a yellow base. The eyes, legs and feet are yellow. Female Collared Sparrowhawks are much larger than males. Juvenile Collared Sparrowhawks have a bold brown and white chevron pattern on breast and belly (first year), and later have a boldly barred front (second year). "Raptors" (or "birds of prey"), most prominently, but also some species of waders, show a pronounced "dimorphism", i.e. a difference between male and female birds - not just in the appearance of the plumage, but in other, important properties, such as size or strength. Here we explain why. Twitcher's tip The easiest way to distinguish between Collared Sparrowhawks and Brown Goshawks in flight is by the shape of their tail ends. Collared Sparrowhawks have squarish tails, whereas Brown Goshawks have rounded tail ends. At closer quarters, the Brown Goshawk's yellow cere and prominent "beetle-brow" vs. the Collared Sparrowhawk's grey cere and absence of a brow are the distinguishing features. Only those who get a very good view will be able to tell a Collared Sparrowhawk from a Brown Goshawk's by the former's longer middle toes...

Taxonomy, classification See Collared Sparrowhawk at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Collared Sparrowhawk is available HERE . The range of the Collared Sparrowhawk encompasses parts of eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia. Collared Sparrowhawks populate basically all of the Australian continent, including Tasmania and smaller offshore islands. They are only rarely found in the major deserts of eastern and south-eastern WA and in the western part of QLD, towards the NT and SA border, and an area around Tennant Creek, NT. South of a line from about Broome, WA, to Cairns, QLD, race "cirrocephalus" is found, to the North of that line the Collared Sparrowhawsks are possibly race "quaesitandus". Collared Sparrowhawks are very versatile, hunting in almost any kind of habitat where there are trees, including semi-arid and arid environments with sparse vegetation.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "cirrocephalus" A Collared Sparrowhawk, race "cirrocephalus", was first spotted by us in the area of Bohena, 20 km South-West of Narrabri, NSW, in February 2008. They were subsequently seen by us on a trip along the Darling River to western NSW and also at Aroona Dam South of Leigh Creek, SA, in March 2008. In the years since 2009 we have occasionally seen Collared Sparrowhawks, race "cirrocephalus", in various locations on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, such as e.g. Eulah Creek, Deriah Aboriginal Area and Bullawa Creek SCA. A breeding pair was observed in the Pilliga scrub, about 20 km North-East of Baradine, NSW, in December 2011. J. Wilson's assistance with these observations is most gratefully acknowledged. J. and S. Bowditch report spotting a Collared Sparrowhawk, race "cirrocephalus", at Mildura, VIC, in December 2011 and R. Plumtreereports occasionally spotting Collared Sparrowhawks, race "cirrocephalus", in the area of Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC. A pair of Collared Sparrowhawks, race "cirrocephalus", was found by us to be nesting at Big Hill, Limeburners Creek NP, NSW, in October 2013. E. Scott reports spotting a Collared Sparrowhawk, race "cirrocephalus", at Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, in March 2017. M. Eaton reports finding a Collared Sparrowhawk, race "cirrocephalus", at Lake Coolmundra, QLD, in May 2018. Another was found at Anstead, QLD, in June 2022. P. Brown found a Collared Sparrowhawk, race "cirrocephalus", at the Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, in June 2020. C. Pears reports a Collared Sparrowhawk, race "cirrocephalus", recovering after a run-in with a window pane at Quindalup, WA, in February 2021.

Photos

Race "cirrocephalus"

Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a look here .

ADULT

MALE

Full-frontal portrait of a male Collared Sparrowhawk; the sex of the birds shown here is determined by their size
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2015]

Frontal portrait of a male Collared Sparrowhawk
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2018]

Close-up frontal view of a male Collared Sparrowhawk; note the very long central toe
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2018]

Close-up frontal view of a male Collared Sparrowhawk that has just finished preening and drying its plumage
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Collared Sparrowhawk looking at the observer
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral view of a male Collared Sparrowhawk
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2015]

Lateral view of a male Collared Sparrowhawk with its inner eyelids closed
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2015]

Near-dorsal view of a male Collared Sparrowhawk
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2017]

Dorsal view of a male Collared Sparrowhawk; note the bright yellow irises with the pupils almost closed in bright sunlight
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2015]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a Collared Sparrowhawk peeking through the branches of a tree
[Near Narrabri, NSW, February 2008]

The squarish tip of the tail indicates that this is a Collared Sparrowhawk with its prey, while its size suggests a female
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2017]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Collared Sparrowhawk (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, June 2022]

Near-lateral view of a Collared Sparrowhawk (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, June 2022]

Lateral view of a Collared Sparrowhawk (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Pine Creek, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a Collared Sparrowhawk in flight (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, June 2020]

Ventral view of a Collared Sparrowhawk in flight (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston Golf Course, Palmerston, NT, June 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2018]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, March 2017]

Juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk resting on one leg (photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, March 2017]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile female Collared Sparrowhawk
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile female Collared Sparrowhawk
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile female Collared Sparrowhawk ready for take-off
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile male(?) Collared Sparrowhawk recovering after a run-in with a window pane
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, February 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2016]

Lateral view of a juvenile male(?) Collared Sparrowhawk recovering after a run-in with a window pane
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, February 2021]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk; note the square tip of the tail
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2018]

Juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk seen gliding from its perch after behing hustled by other birds
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]

Ventral view of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2014]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Collared Sparrowhawk in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Dec

Eggs: 2 - 4

Incubation period: 35 - 37 days

Fledging age: 35 - 42? days

 

The breeding season depends on geographic latitude. Given the right conditions Collared Sparrowhawks can breed at any time of the year.

Twitcher's tip

Note that, by the time they fledge (i.e., leave their nest), the young of all species of raptors - apart from the tail and wing feathers (which are still growing) - are already full adult-size.

For species of raptors with a pronounced size dimorphism between the sexes (the female is always bigger than the male), the obvious consequence is that a female near-fledging age chick already dwarfs not only any male siblings, but also its father.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks, green leaves

Height above ground: 10 - 25 m

 

Collared Sparrowhawk's nest; looking from this angle, one might think that there is nobody home...
[Near Baradine, NSW, December 2011]

... but from one side one can see a long tail sticking out...
[Near Baradine, NSW, December 2011]

... and from another two heads can be discerned; mum's is partly obscured, while the white fluffy chick is clearly visible
[Near Baradine, NSW, December 2011]

Collared Sparrowhawk nest high up in a eucalypt
[Limeburners Creek NP, NSW, October 2013]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 40 x 31 mm

Colour: Creamy, with sparse light-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

 

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Solitary

We have observed a Collared Sparrowhawk carry its prey, a Noisy Miner, to the edge of the water of an ornamental pond, where we later found signs of the bird having been plucked - an expert explained to us that goshawks of the genus Accipiter have the habit of sometimes drowning their prey.

Collared Sparrowhawks, and in particular the small males, are quite docile and will allow humans to approach them, while other raptors tend to be more wary. There is a separate page describing how approachable a male Collared Sparrowhawk was while taking a bath.

Just like the young of other bird species, young Collared Sparrowhawks need to learn their trade by practicing their hunting skills. The immature bird shown above was observed trying to catch a White-winged Chough. However, the bird - although causing a bit of a stir in the neighbourhood, with Australian Magpies (whom White-winged Choughs fear) and even Sulphur-crested Cockatoos hustling it - was not even taken serious by the family clan of usually timid White-winged Choughs. And their assessment was correct, because the young raptor left without a meal. This is of little surprise, considering that White-winged Choughs are the same size as a Collared Sparrowhawk.

However, Collared Sparrowhawks cause quite a stir among other, smaller birds. We have observed very upset Noisy Miners and Magpie-larks pestering a Collared Sparrowhawk.

Food, Diet

Adults: Small birds

Dependents: As adults

Water intake: None

All raptors are carnivores. Collared Sparrowhawks prey on smaller birds, which they take in flight.

During the first few weeks, raptors feed their chicks with pieces of meat. Later on in their development, the chicks learn to tear apart their parents' prey.

Adult male Collared Sparrowhawk with the leftovers of its last meal
[Eulah Creek, NSW, February 2016]

Adult male Collared Sparrowhawk plucking its prey, this time a Noisy Miner
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2016]

Juvenile female Collared Sparrowhawk plucking its prey
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2018]

Raptors do not usually need much water, but this adult male Collared Sparrowhawk was desperate for a drink, appearing at an ornamental pond before being moved on by the local residents
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2015]

Collared Sparrowhawk approaching an ornamental pond
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2017]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

cosphwk_20151225_2.m4a	cirrocephalus (NW NSW)	Contact call(?)	© MD
cosphwk_20180502.m4a	cirrocephalus (NW NSW)	? (Departure)	© MD
cosphwk_20151225.m4a	cirrocephalus (NW NSW)	Annoyed calls (pestered by Willie Wagtail)	© MD

More Collared Sparrowhawk sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Mon, 4 July 2022, 6:19 +00:00