New Britain goshawk

New Britain goshawk
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Tachyspiza
Species:
T. princeps
Binomial name
Tachyspiza princeps
(Mayr, 1934)
Synonyms

Accipiter princeps

The New Britain goshawk (Tachyspiza princeps) is a bird of prey species in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. This species was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Formerly classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, it was suspected to be rarer than previously assumed. Following the evaluation of its population status, this was found to be correct, and it is consequently uplisted to vulnerable status in 2008. The first-ever photograph of a New Britain goshawk was taken in March 2024 in the Pomio District of New Britain. In September 2025, the first recorded photographs of a juvenile of the species were taken.

Description

It has a length of 38 to 45 cm and a wingspan of 75 to 86 cm.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2024). "Accipiter princeps". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T22695561A157689601. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T22695561A157689601.en.
  2. ↑ BLI (2004)
  3. ↑ BLI (2008)
  4. ↑ Bandara, Pesala (16 September 2024). "Photographer Captures First-Ever Image of Bird of Prey 'Lost' for 55 Years". PetaPixel. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  5. ↑ Quelennec, Thierry; Quelennec, Marianne (2026). "First description and photograph of the juvenile plumage of the New Britain Goshawk Tachyspiza princeps". Australian Field Ornithology. 43 (0). doi:10.20938/afo43029030.
  6. ↑ Ferguson-Lees, James (2005). Raptors of the World. Helm Field Guides. David A. Christie. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. ISBN 978-0-7136-6957-2.