diagnostics
55-60 cm, 1-1.2 kg. A buzzard-sized, inconspicuous raptor of forest edges. Sexes alike although female slightly larger. Crown, nape and upperparts of the adult dark grey-brown, as are throat and upper breast. Belly is white with distinct, narrow brown barring. Tail blackish grey with three diagnostic paler grey-brown bands. Tarsi are unfeathered and heavily scaled. Head is large with obvious pale yellow eyes, while the bill is black with a yellow cere. Juvenile has white streaks on the crown, with a brown nape, the face streaked black and white and the throat white leading to an off-white belly. Remainder of underparts are pale buffy grey, with indistinct brown barring on the flanks and thighs. Eyes and cere deeper yellow than in adult (Chittenden 2005).
