It consists of four medium-sized, broad-winged
species. }} }} Comparing sequences from a short subsection of the mitochondrial
cytb gene, Gamulf and Haring found five
clades:
apivorus,
steerei–winkleri,
celebensis,
philippensis–orientalis–ruficollis, and
torquatus–ptilorhynchus–palawanensis. They proposed splitting the
steerei–winkleri group from
P. celebensis into a new species
Pernis steerei, but felt that splitting
Pernis ptilorhynchus would be "premature" given the lack of morphological differences. Despite the name "crested honey buzzard", the subspecies
P. p. orientalis,
P. p. philippensis, and
P. p. palawanensis all lack crests. ==References==