Hawks and Eagles (Accipitridae) - HBW 2

Long-tailed Buzzard (Henicopernis longicauda)

French: Bondrée à longue queue German: Langschwanzweih Spanish: Abejero Colilargo
Other common names: Long tailed Honey Buzzard

Taxonomy: Falco longicauda Garnot, 1828, New Guinea.
Genus traditionally considered close to Pernis, but now considered part of endemic Australasian clade, related to old endemic Australian genera such as Lophoictinia (see page 55). Has been considered a race of H. infuscatus, with which it forms superspecies; separated by plumage. Two races formerly recognized: barely distinct fraterculus of Japen I; and smaller minimus of Aru and W Papuan Is; but now considered invalid, because size varies clinally with altitude in mainland New Guinea, with birds smaller in coastal lowlands, larger in highlands. Monotypic.

Distribution: New Guinea, W Papuan islands, Aru Is.