Observations on prey captured by the sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) in a coffee landscape from Colombia

Abstract

Here we described observations of two predatory events by the Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)in a typical agricultural landscape of Colombian coffee region. The first report is from an adult hawkpreying on Antshrike (Thamnophilus multistriatus) and the second report is from a young hawk preying on Ground Dove (Colombina talpacoti). These observations are consistent with the known pattern of the feeding behavior of A. striatus temperate habitats populations, where medium-sized birds compose mostof their diet. As other authors have reported, young sharp-shinned hawks tend to prefer easy preys andhigh energetic calories (e.g. doves) while adults hawk tend to be more selective and attack more difficult preys (e.g. antbirds). These observations are important because they contribute to the knowledge of the natural history of the sharp-shinned hawk in ecosystems transformed in the Neotropics.