CONTEMPLATING THE INHABITANTS OF THE 'SKIES OF THE ATLANTIC FOREST'...

...  we highlight this majestic bird of prey: the white-necked hawk.

A 'gift', in the day of the Atlantic Forest: 27th May

[Reproduced from: www.oeco.org.br]

Rafael Ferreira

24th May,  2013

A  curious Amadonastur lacernulatus. Photo: Rick Elis Simpson/Wikimedia Commons Habitats of bird of prey, in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil

In a country with so many biomes as the Brazil, it is not surprising that house so many animal species that are unique. In all its ecosystems there is an endemic species of the region, which could only arise in that environment. It happens in the Cerrado, in the Pampas, in the Amazon and in the Atlantic forest. That is the case of the white-necked hawk (Amadonastur lacernulatus).

The hawk-dove, as is also known, because in flight, it is easy to confuse it with a pigeon, is distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest, and can be found in the states of Alagoas, Paraíba, Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Minas Gerais. 

The Amadonastur lacernulatus measures about 43 to 52 cm in length, with a wingspan of 96 cm (from one wing to the other). The dorsal and wings plumes are black.  While the head, neck, higher dorsal surface, and the whole bottom is white..

Lonely hunter sometimes admits to join other flocks of birds to capture food. Its diet consists of insects, spiders, molluscs, snakes, birds, rodents, and other small mammals. Cunning and opportunistic predator, it  has a habit of seeking and capturing animals amazed by the presence of army ants [= due to their aggressive predatory behaviour, groups of ants, known as "raids",  forage simultaneously over a certain area],  or by passing flocks of monkeys or coatis, acting as 'scouts'. There are also records of individuals who lurk or fly over areas, waiting for the moment when some other bird was captured by traps, then feed on it.

However, all the cunning does not save the kind of threats to its existence. Both the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), and the ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation) classify  A. lacernulatus as vulnerable.

The population of white-necked hawk suffers a serious population decline because of deforestation, which deprives of the characteristics of its habitat. The impact on their territory reduces the locations suitable for nesting (reproduction) and increase competition for food and shelter.