Black Baza

Aviceda leuphotes (Dumont, 1820)

Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Black Baza, Aviceda leuphotes, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that breeds across the Oriental Region and is widespread there. It lives in forests across Northeast India, the eastern Himalayas, China and Southeast Asia. It is a small raptor with a prominent crest and short, sturdy legs and feet armed with strong talons. It is usually seen in dense woodland, often in small parties, and may perch on bare limbs of tall trees above the canopy. Many populations move seasonally, and birds from the Indian region winter in southern India and Sri Lanka.

Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Breeding range: Oriental Region: widespread