Thursday, February 9, 2012

>>Genus Pernis (bird)

Genus Pernis (bird)



Pernis
Honey Buzzard
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Falconiformes
(or Accipitriformes)
Family:Accipitridae
Genus:Pernis
Cuvier, 1816
species
P. apivorus
P. ptilorhynchus
P. celebensis
Pernis is a genus of birds in the raptor subfamily Perninae. It consists of three medium-sized broad-winged species.
  • European Honey Buzzard, Pernis apivorus
  • Crested Honey Buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus
  • Barred Honey Buzzard, Pernis celebensis
They breed in temperate and warmer climates of the Old World, and are specialist feeders onwasp larvae. The two temperate species, the European and Crested Honey Buzzards, aremigratory.
They breed in woodland, and are often inconspicuous except when displaying.
The members of this genus have plumage which mimics that of juvenile Common Buzzards or of Spizaetus hawk-eagles. It has been suggested that the similarity has arisen as a partial protection against predation by larger raptors such as goshawks, which may be wary about attacking what appears to be a better-protected species with stronger bill and talons than the honey buzzards actually possess.

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