Accipiter

Accipiter () is a genus of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. Some species are called sparrowhawks, but there are many sparrowhawks in other genera such as Tachyspiza. These birds are slender with short, broad, rounded wings and a long tail which helps them maneuver in flight. They have long legs and long, sharp talons used to kill their prey, and a sharp, hooked bill used in feeding. Females tend to be larger than males. They often ambush their prey, mainly small birds and mammals, capturing them after a short chase. The typical flight pattern is a series of flaps followed by a short glide. They are commonly found in wooded or shrubby areas. The genus Accipiter was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760. The type species is the Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus). The name is Latin for "hawk", from accipere, "to grasp".