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Madagascar Harrier-hawk

Chris Packham presents the Madagascan Harrier-hawk from Madagascar.

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Chris Packham presents the Madagascan Harrier-hawk from Madagascar. Among the branches of a Madagascan forest, there's a flutter of wings and a flash of double-jointed feet. The Madagascan harrier-hawk is a striking bird, uniform grey above and finely barred beneath with black wing-tips and a white-banded black tail. There's a patch of sulphurous skin around its bill and eyes: and its long legs are also bright yellow. Those long legs help the harrier-hawk hunt for food that's beyond the reach of most other birds of prey. Using its wings for balance and twisting its flexibly jointed legs at seemingly impossible angles, the harrier-hawk inserts its talons into tiny holes, relying on its sense of touch to locate its prey. Madagascan Harrier-hawks do hunt more conventionally by gliding over the forest, seizing small birds, reptiles and mammals such as the Verreaux's sifaka.

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1 minute

Last on

Fri 10 Sep 2021 05:58

Madagascar Harrier-hawk (Polyboroides radiatus)

Webpage image courtesy of Pete Oxford / naturepl.com

NPL Ref Β© Pete Oxford / naturepl.com

Broadcasts

  • Fri 28 Nov 2014 05:58
  • Fri 27 Nov 2015 05:58
  • Tue 4 Feb 2020 05:58
  • Fri 10 Sep 2021 05:58

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