| Gracile goshawk Temporal range: Holocene
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Genus: | Tachyspiza |
| Species: | †T. quartus
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| Binomial name | |
| †Tachyspiza quartus | |
The gracile goshawk (Tachyspiza quartus) is an extinct species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the southwest Pacific region. It was described from subfossil bones found at the Pindai Caves paleontological site on the west coast of Grande Terre. The Latin specific epithet quartus means "fourth"; it was the fourth Accipiter species recorded from New Caledonia. The gracile goshawk was smaller and much less robust than its contemporary congener the powerful goshawk, remains of which were also found at the same site.[1]
- ^ Balouet, J.C.; Olson, Storrs L. (1989). "Fossil birds from Late Quaternary deposits in New Caledonia" (PDF). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. 469: 7–8. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.469. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-15. Retrieved 2012-08-31.