Shikra (Little Banded Goshawk)
Accipiter badius

A: Gebande Sperwer
G: Schikra
N: daoxa ani!khāb
Sp: Matsenelela wa mola
Ss: Fiolo ya motjhato
Tw: Segodi sa moeledi
Z: uheshomidwayidwa

BIRD FAMILY
Goshawks and Sparrowhawks

SIZE
30-34 cm (M)

HABITAT
Occurs singly in a wide range of woodland types, even in semi-arid regions. Less secretive than other small Accipiter hawks, frequently perching in the open, even on posts. Feeds mainly on reptiles, small birds and rodents.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION
Fairly common resident. Adult identified by rufous-banded underparts that extend to the throat, red eyes (no eye ring), yellow legs, yellow cere cf. African Goshawk. In flight, from above, by plain grey upper parts, lacking any white on rump and upper tail. May sometimes show small white spots on the mantle. Immature differs from immature of Little Sparrowhawk in eyes and legs being more orange-yellow, and broad reddish-brown streaks and banding on the underparts; and from immature of Gabar Goshawk in dark cap, lack of white rump, and different eye and leg colour. Call is a metallic, two-syllabled ‘kli-vit’ repeated, also a plaintive ‘tee-uuu’.