African Goshawk
Accipiter tachiro
A: Afrikaanse Sperwer
G: Afrikanischer Sperber, Tachirosperber
N: Afrika ani!khāb
Sp: Matsenelela wa Afrika
Ss: Fiolo ya Afrika
Tw: Segodi sa Aforika
X: ukholo
Z: ushomheshe, imvumvuyane

BIRD FAMILY
Goshawks and Sparrowhawks

SIZE
40cm (M)

HABITAT
Unobtrusive in montane, lowland and riparian *forest*, wooded valleys, exotic plantations and *suburban* fringes. Partially crepuscular, still hunting from cover feeding on small birds, nestlings, small mammals.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION
Fairly common resident. A medium-sized goshawk (female much larger than male) easily confused with other similar *accipiter*. upper parts slate-grey with a ‘hood-like’ appearance to head and upper parts in male, dark brown ‘hood’ in female; underparts barred rufous, finely in male, broadly in female. Small white spots on upper tail of male, absent in female. Eyes and legs are yellow and the cere and mandible base is grey-blue unlike all other accipiter’s. *Immature* browner above, the underparts well marked with dark-brown drop-shaped spots, noticeable brown throat strip and supercilium; cf. much smaller immature [Little Sparrowhawk]. Territorial male displays prominently in the mornings by flying high with bouts of fast wing beats followed by glides while calling ‘krit’ at two- or three-second intervals. May also utter same call from cover while perched.