Wildlifeof Vietnam
Black Baza
Birds of Prey
Photo: Forestowlet · CC0
Aviceda leuphotes
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Basic stats
Diet
Mainly insects, caught in aerial sallies; also oil palm fruit
Habitat
Dense forest; perches on bare branches above the canopy
Range
Forests of north-east India, the eastern Himalayas, China and Southeast Asia
Incubation period
26–27 days
Size
30–35cm
Wingspan
66–80cm
Weight
168–224g
The black baza is a small, distinctively coloured raptor, 30 to 35cm long with a wingspan of 66 to 80cm and a weight of 168 to 224g. It has short, stout legs with strong talons and a prominent crest, and two tooth-like notches on the edge of the upper bill. The male has white scapulars, secondary coverts and secondaries, while the female has white only on the scapulars (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is found in the forests of north-east India, the eastern Himalayas, China and Southeast Asia, and many populations are migratory. It lives in dense forest, often in small groups, perched on bare branches above the canopy, and is somewhat crepuscular. It feeds mainly on insects taken in aerial sallies. Both sexes share nest building, incubation and feeding, and the eggs hatch in 26 to 27 days.
Quick answers
- What does the Black Baza eat?
- Mainly insects, caught in aerial sallies; also oil palm fruit
- What habitat does the Black Baza live in?
- Dense forest; perches on bare branches above the canopy
- Where is the Black Baza found?
- Forests of north-east India, the eastern Himalayas, China and Southeast Asia
- How long are the eggs of the Black Baza incubated?
- 26–27 days
- How big is the Black Baza?
- 30–35cm
- What is the wingspan of the Black Baza?
- 66–80cm
- How much does the Black Baza weigh?
- 168–224g