Henicopernis is a genus of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
It contains the following species:[1]
| Image | Common Name | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henicopernis infuscatus | the Bismarck archipelago in Papua New Guinea. | ||
| Henicopernis longicauda | New Guinea | ||
Both species are endemic to New Guinea. Genetic research has found that they are closely related to the Australian endemic square-tailed kite (Lophoictinia isura) and black-breasted buzzard (Hamirostra melanosternon), all sharing a 3-base-pair deletion in the RAG-1 gene. The four species form a monophyletic clade sister to Aviceda within the subfamily Perninae. It has been proposed that they could be united into a single genus, Hamirostra having precedence.[2]