Aerospiza tachiro
The African Goshawk (Aerospiza tachiro) is a medium-sized, powerful raptor endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, celebrated for its agile flight through dense woodlands. Males typically measure 36-40 cm in length and females 40-46 cm, with wingspans ranging from 75-90 cm. Adults exhibit a distinctive slate-grey back, a white breast heavily barred with rufous or greyish-brown, and a blackish head accentuated by prominent white supercilia. Their bright yellow to orange-red eyes and strong yellow legs ...
This adaptable raptor primarily inhabits a variety of wooded environments, including evergreen and deciduous forests, riverine woodlands, dense savanna, plantations, and large gardens. It can be found from sea level up to elevations of 3,700 meters, though it prefers lower altitudes.
Their diet primarily consists of small to medium-sized birds, which they capture in flight or from vegetation, supplemented by small mammals, reptiles, and large insects. They hunt predominantly by ambush from a concealed perch within dense cover.
African Goshawks are largely solitary and diurnal, often perching inconspicuously within dense foliage during the day, becoming more active at dawn and dusk. Their primary hunting technique involves stealthy short flights from a hidden perch, ambushing unsuspecting prey with a sudden burst of spe...
The African Goshawk boasts a wide and largely continuous distribution across sub-Saharan Africa, extending from Senegal and Gambia in the west, eastward through the Congo Basin, and southwards to the Cape provinces of South Africa. Its extensive range encompasses numerous countries including Ango...
Least Concern
- The African Goshawk is a master of camouflage, often remaining unseen until it makes a sudden, explosive dash for prey. - Despite its common name, it's more closely related to sparrowhawks (genus *Accipiter*) than the 'true' goshawk (*Accipiter gentilis*), hence its reclassification into *Aeros...