Astur badiusScelospizias badiusMicronisus badius The shikra (Tachyspiza badia) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae found widely distributed in Asia and Africa where it is also called the little banded goshawk.

The African forms may represent a separate species but have usually been considered as subspecies of the shikra.

The shikra is very similar in appearance, as well as behavior, at least to some degree, to other species including the Chinese sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza soloensis, formerly Accipiter soloensis), Eurasian goshawk (Astur gentilis) and Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus).

They have a sharp two-note call and exhibit the flap-and-glide flight style typical of Tachyspiza and Accipiter hawks.

The shikra was formally described in 1788/1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae.

In 2024 a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the Accipitridae confirmed earlier work that had shown that the genus was polyphyletic.

A post juvenile transitional plumage is found with very strong barring on the contour feathers of the underside.

The Chinese sparrowhawk is somewhat similar in appearance but has swollen bright orange ceres and yellow legs with the wing tips entirely black.

[11][12] Subspecies cenchroides is larger and paler and found in Turkestan, Afghanistan and eastern Iran.

[10] The shikra is found in a range of habitats including forests, farmland and urban areas.

[17] They will descend to the ground to feast on emerging winged termites,[18] hunt at dusk for small bats[19] (such as Cynopterus sphinx[20][21]) and in rare instances they may even resort to feed on carrion.

They were noted for their pluck and ability to take much larger birds including partridges, crows and even young peafowl.