ABSTRACT
Hawks of the genus Accipiter live in forest and scrub habitats on every continent. There are about 50 species, ranging between 120 and 1200 g in weight. In most species the females are considerably larger than the males. Some accipiter species are migratory, at least in parts of their range, and others are sedentary. Accipiters are hard to count because they are secretive birds that are seldom seen. Nest counts are the most effective way of assessing breeding populations. Each species chooses woods of a certain structure for nesting, and in general the smaller species prefer denser, younger woods than the large species. However, regular nest spacing is mainly a feature of continuously suitable woodland, and where such woodland is fragmented by unsuitable areas or by open country, the regularity in spacing breaks down or may be hard to discern.
