Black Baza

The black baza is a small and distinctively colured raptor migrating from Eastern Himalayas to Southern India. It ranges from 30 to 35 cm in length, a 66 to 80 cm wingspan and a weight of 168 to 224 g. The black bazas have short, stout legs and feet with strong talons. A prominent crest is a feature of the bazas. The male has white scapulars, secondary coverts and on the secondaries. The female has white only on the scapulars and more chestnut bands on the underside unlike the few bands in the male. They feed mainly on insects by making aerial sallies. They may also pick insects off a leaf, the insects always seized their feet. They have been observed to attempt capturing small birds such as wagtails by making dashes into flocks. The call is a “chu-weep” somewhat similar to the call of the large cuckoo-shrike.

Last updated: May 28, 2023