Polyboroides

Polyboroides is a genus of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. This genus has two recognized species found in Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. The two species are allopatric and restricted to the Afrotropical realm. They are generally known as harrier-hawks.

Polyboroides
African harrier-hawk (Polyboroides typus)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Subfamily:	Polyboroidinae
Genus:	Polyboroides A. Smith, 1829
Type species
Polyboroides typus[1] A. Smith, 1829
Species
See text

Etymology

Polyboroides: Genus Polyborus Vieillot, 1816; Greek: -οιδης -oidēs "resembling".^[2]

Species

The genus Polyboroides has two recognized species:^[3][4]

Genus Polyboroides – A. Smith, 1829 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
African harrier-hawk	Polyboroides typus (Scopoli, 1786[5]) Two subspecies P. t. typus - Smith, A, 1829 P. t. pectoralis - Sharpe, 1903	Sub-Saharan Africa	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Madagascar harrier-hawk	Polyboroides radiatus Smith, 1829[6]	Madagascar	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC

Adult African harrier-hawk hunting at a weaver colony in Etosha NP.

Note the double-jointed legs enabling it to hang downwards and yet reach upwards with its beak.

See also

• Harrier (bird)