Gabar Goshawk

Fairly common resident medium sized Accipiter. Normal adult (a) identified by grey throat and breast, deep red eyes, no eye ring and orange-red cere and legs. Deep set eye and upright posture resembling [Ovambo Sparrowhawk] but differs from it by having the white rump or Chanting Goshawks but is smaller in size. While perched, a diagnostic white trailing edge seen on the secondary folded wings. In flight, told by broad white rump patch. Less common melanistic morph (10 – 15 % of pop) (b) retains barred tail and has same patterns of soft parts, but lacks the white rump. Immature is boldly blotched rufous all over head, neck and breast. Eyes are yellow, cere and legs coral yellow. In flight shows white rump; cf. immature of [Shikra (Little Banded Goshawk)] has grey rump. Call is a high-pitched, rapid piping ‘pi-pi-pi-pi-pi…’. Occurs singly in open woodland, tree savanna and Acacia-dominated riparian bush. Hunts in low flight in more open country, otherwise from a perch within cover, sometimes hunting in pairs. Feeds on game birds, nestlings, small reptiles, mammals and insects. 90 g – 240 g.