Consecration of Madagascar
| Consecration of Madagascar | ||||||||||||
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Madagascar consecrations |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Circus macrosceles | ||||||||||||
| Newton , 1863 |
The Madagascar consecration ( Circus macrosceles ) is a large type of consecration that occurs exclusively in Madagascar. The slightly larger females are gray-brown on the upper side of the body, the males contrasting black and white. The Madagascar consecration was long considered a subspecies of the Reunion consecration . However, this is significantly smaller and also differs in several features.
The stock situation of the Madagascar is ordination of the IUCN endangered with ( endangered ) indicated. No subspecies are distinguished.
Appearance
Dimensions and feathered body parts
The Madagascar consecration reaches a body length of 54 to 59 centimeters. The wings are 39 to 42 centimeters long in the males and 42 to 44 centimeters in length in the females. The wingspan is 105 to 140 centimeters. The weight of the males is around 600 grams, the females weigh up to 910 grams. The eyes of adult birds are yellow. The beak is yellow, the wax skin is yellow to greenish yellow. The legs and feet are yellow in both sexes.
male
Males have a contrasting plumage of black, gray and white tones. The face veil is uniformly black; unlike the Reunion consecration, it is bordered by a pure black collar that extends from the back of the head and neck over the throat to the chest. The back and upper wing-coverts are uniformly black, only the wing crease is colored white. The male's gray hand and arm wings are without any transverse ligament; the outer six hand wings are completely black. The rump is white, the control feathers on the top uniformly gray with four black transverse bands. The belly and thighs are uniformly white and have a few black lines in some individuals.
female
The females have a radially brown and white dashed head starting from the beak. The dashed lines are darker and thicker on the face veil than on the rest of the head. The back and wings are pale brown-gray with dark dots on the wing covers and transverse bands on the wings of the hand and arm. The rump is colored white, the tail feathers are brown on top and show wide, dark banding.
distribution and habitat
The Madagascar consecration occurs almost exclusively in Madagascar. It has also been observed on the islands of Mayotte , which is part of the Comoros , but is probably only a rare stray visitor there.
In Madagascar, this consecration occurs along lakes with extensive reed belts, on rice fields and on moist grassland. It also hunts over drier agricultural areas and along forest edges.
Way of life
The way of life has so far been little explored, but Madagascar harriers are usually observed solitary or in pairs. It mainly eats small vertebrates such as amphibians, reptiles, rodents and birds.
The breeding season falls from December to July. The nest is built on the ground. The clutch size is three to six eggs. The incubation period is 33 to 36 days, the nestlings are fledged after 45 to 50 days. The male provides the young birds with food for another two months.
literature
- J. Ferguson-Lees, DA Christie: Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London 2001, ISBN 0-7136-8026-1 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Ferguson-Lees & Christie: Raptors of the World. P. 505.
- ↑ a b c Handbook of the Birds of the World for the consecration of Madagascar, accessed on June 10, 2017.
- ^ Ferguson-Lees & Christie: Raptors of the World. P. 507.
- ^ Ferguson-Lees & Christie: Raptors of the World. P. 506.