Melierax
| Melierax | |
|---|---|
| Pale chanting goshawk (Melierax canorus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Subfamily: | Accipitrinae |
| Genus: | Melierax G.R. Gray, 1840 |
| Type species | |
| Falco musicus Daudin, 1800 | |
Melierax is a genus of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Established by George Robert Gray in 1840, it contains the following species:
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark chanting goshawk | Melierax metabates Heuglin, 1861 Five subspecies
|
sub-Saharan Africa, but avoids the rainforest of the Congo basin and the far south | Size: 45cm Habitat: savannah, open woodland Diet: birds, small mammals, reptiles |
LC
|
| Pale chanting goshawk | Melierax canorus (Thunberg, 1799) Two subspecies
|
South Africa | Size: 55cm Habitat: desert Diet: small mammals and reptiles |
LC
|
| Eastern chanting goshawk | Melierax poliopterus Cabanis, 1868 |
East Africa | Size: 49 to 55cm Habitat: semi-desert, grassland Diet: lizards, smaller birds, insects |
LC
|
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The name Melierax is a combination of the Greek words melos, meaning "song" and hierax, meaning "hawk".