Japanese sparrowhawk

The Japanese sparrowhawk was formally described in 1845 by the zoologists Coenraad Jacob Temminck and Hermann Schlegel in Philipp Franz von Siebold's Fauna Japonica. They specified the scientific name Astur (Nisus) gularis, where Nisus was an alternative possible genus: it had been introduced by Georges Cuvier in 1800. The specific epithet gularis is Modern Latin meaning "of the throat" or "throated". The Japanese sparrowhawk was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter. In 2024 a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the Accipitridae confirmed earlier work that had shown that the genus was polyphyletic. To resolve the non-monophyly, Accipiter was divided into six genera. The genus Tachyspiza was resurrected to accommodate the Japanese sparrowhawk together with 26 other species that had previously been placed in Accipiter. The resurrected genus had been introduced in 1844 by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek ταχυς (takhus) meaning "fast" with σπιζιας (spizias) meaning "hawk". The species is closely related to the Besra (Tachyspiza virgata). However, it was recently discovered that they are not as closely related despite their similar appearances and might be more closely related to the collared sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza cirrocephala) of Australasia. Three subspecies are recognised: == Description ==

Adult male Japanese sparrowhawks measure between in length with a wingspan measuring , and weigh . They have brown upperparts, but they do not have any red-brown barring on their underparts or sides. == Distribution and habitat ==

The Japanese sparrowhawk typically inhabits many forest types such as deciduous, coniferous and mixed, at elevations up to 1800 meters but usually below 1000 meters. It prefers southern taiga and subalpine zones near rivers. During migration and wintering, they can be seen in villages, and open areas where woodlands and shrubs mix with marshes and fields. The species can generally be found at its breeding grounds in eastern Russia, eastwards to Sakhalin, the Korean peninsula, Japan, and Northeastern China. Although, the distribution of the Japanese sparrowhawk varies by and within subspecies. Tachyspiza gularis sibiricus is migratory and breeds from Mongolia to eastern China and is thought to winter in southeast Asia and Indonesia. Alternatively, Tachyspiza g. iwasakii is sedentary and lives solely in evergreen subtropical forests on the South Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Whereas, Tachyspiza g. gularis is the most widespread subspecies and is made up of two major populations. The first is migratory and breeds in northeast China, in the most eastern parts of Russia, as well as Japan. It winters in the Philippines and Indonesia. The second major population of T. g. gularis are resident breeders in urban and suburban Japan. == Behaviour ==

The Japanese sparrowhawk is secretive and not often seen outside forested areas during the breeding season. as well as a '''' between mates prior to nesting. Food and feeding The Japanese sparrowhawk hunts in clearings by surprising prey from perches and by chasing in flight. It often hunts small forest passerines like sparrows, buntings, warblers, tits, nuthatches, and sometimes larger birds like magpies and pigeons. But, it also opportunistically preys on small mammals like voles, and bats, as well as insects and occasionally reptiles. Breeding The Japanese sparrowhawk breeds from June to August. Individuals find a partners and begin with a pre-nesting display whereby both members make '''' sounds while bowing their heads and lifting their tails on a perch. They also perform aerial displays that include undulating sky dances, high-circling and slow flapping. The couple will build their nest in a tree, typically near the tree trunk and around 10 meters off the ground. The nest is composed of twigs and lined with leaves and pieces of bark. They lay clutches of 4 to 5 eggs in June in Siberia and 2 to 3 eggs a bit earlier in China and Japan. The incubation period lasts between 25 and 28 days, and chicks fledge in June in Japan and August in Siberia. == Conservation status ==

The Japanese sparrowhawk is globally listed as least concern by the IUCN Red List and the population is considered stable with an estimated 13,400 to 67,000 mature adults. However, it is a class II protected species in China Moreover, the A. g. iwasakii subspecies is classified as endangered in the Red Data Book of the Japan Ministry of the Environment due to declines in nesting spots and breeding success, but its estimated population size and life history parameters remain poorly understood. ==References==