Breeding Behaviour and Diet of the Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrhocephalus in Northern New South Wales

Abstract

A pair of Collared Sparrowhawks Accipiter cirrhocephalus and the single young were observed at Armidale on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, through the nest-building, incubation, nestling and post-fledging periods (total 200 hours over 73 days, September 1991-January 1992). Behaviour patterns, sex roles, growth and development of young, and voice are described. The diet was entirely small birds until the fledging stage, and thereafter insects (eaten by the fledgling) contributed 5% by number ( less than 1% by biomass) to the total. Birds were less than 100 g, mostly native passerines; 90% were (25 g and mean weight was 17 g (median 38 g). The female Sparrowhawk took larger prey than the male (mean 50 vs 13 g, 5 and 50 items respectively) . Prey delivery rates varied through the cycle, being lowest (0.1-0.2 items/hr) during incubation and end of the post-fledging period, and highest (0.6-0.7 items/hr) in the nestling and early post-fledging periods. The nestling period lasted 31 days, and the post-fledging dependence period lasted at least 39 days.