SANParks.org Forums

Yeah Craig

I think you're right. It's looks like an immature Gabar Goshawk. Cool sighting, I still have to see one in the flesh myself.

And JenB, just so that you know I'm right, my crystal ball says that this Goshawk's name is Eddie, he has an uncle name Bob and he can't decide whether he wants to study architecture or taxidermy. Soon something important and life changing is going to happen in his life and for $50 more I can let him know exactly what and how to deal with it
Just ask Eddie and he will be able to verify all my information.

I was gonna say a Little Sparrow hawk but it's a bit darker than a normal one and it's chest seems too speckled for a Gaber Goshawk.

Anyway, that's just from looking through my Field Guide to Birds of Southern Africa and not personal experience.

ROFL @ Kingfishergirl

I am impressed, Madam Anastasia! I think you should consult your crystal ball once again, there a turquoise blob awaiting ID at the L.B.J. thread.

Hi 3dgreek,
Warm welcome to the forum!

Thanks alot Jen...I'll be in Kruger training to be a Field Guide from the 2nd March and I have so many wildlife books it's stupid.

Cheers again for the welcome!

Great guns!
You have to keep in touch, we want to know all about it.

Trust me I will...I was going to do something like Ludwig did with his Kruger story but my photos will be rubbish compared to his and I lack the patience to write something as long as he did.

It'll be interesting for younger forum members who might want to train as a Field and Trails guide.

So how do go about becoming a Stiffneck then? I would post some pictures of some UK birds but they're rubbish compared to Southern African ones. Best we have is maybe a Kestrel or Peregrine Falcon and they're so rare your never see them!

Yeeehaaa!!
Done!!
Please will you send an e-mail to the link in my signature then I can put your e-mail addy on record? Include your real name if you don't mind us knowing.

It's not always about the quality of the pics or your writing skills, what matters is that it comes from the heart.

Eeek! I'm spinning.... off to create us a chit-chat topic.

Trust me, I'm a Geordie and everything we do comes from the heart! Hopefully I'll get some good pics for everyone.

One morning on the way to Pafuri we came accross this melanistic raptor on a kill (Red-billed quelea).


Large view


Large view

The first image gives an idea of the under-tail pattern... the only feathered part of the bird that is not black. The bill shape is evident and one can see the legs are a bright yellow. I had good scope views of the bird... the black blotch seen half-way up the tarsus is part of the leg colouration and was evident on both legs; it was similar in shape and size.

In the second pic one can see some eye colour. The sunlight falls over the bird's head and I would have thought if there was any cere colour to be seen, it would be evident here... but it appears to be black / dark as well

Candidates: Sooty Falcon as the only bird that may foot the bill based on its normal colouration was dropped from my list because it just would not be dark enough, the eyering and yellow cere would have been evident.

Both Gabar Goshawk and Ovambo Sparrowhawk would be the right size, both have melanistic forms, but neither have yellow legs or yellow / light eyes.

Are there any other long-tailed raptors in the 36 cm range that sometimes present in a melanistic form?

The size of the bird (in relation to the kill, 12 cm head to tail) seems to be about 3 times the length of the quelea +/- 36 cm.

JvR, that is a super cool bird for a puzzle as you encounter them pretty much never so I guess the answer won't jump out at you by itself. I've seen a bird like this once and it had me thoroughly confused. In fact, I only ID'ed the bird in retrospect upon doing lots of reading.

The bird is, in my opinion, a melanistic Gabar Goshawk but a juvenile. Even in the regularly coloured birds, the juveniles have yellow legs but then the plumage is at least a clear indicator that the bird is young. Here the plumage looks as one would expect from the adult but the yellow legs, grey cere and pale iris gives the age away.

Another bird that one might have been tempted to consider is the melanistic form of Black Sparrowhawk (adult, not juvenile). The problem with that is that the throat will always show at least some white and in most cases a lot of white, the cere would have been bright yellow and the tail would have been clearly unbarred.

Lekker birdie this!

Was just checking different options on Roberts' MM and I'll agree with Deefstes on juv. Gabar.

what a nice picture ...for learning two different birds

csummers, it seems the general consensus here is that your bird is a juvenile Gabar Goshawk but I'm afraid I can't quite agree with that. You don't have more pics of the bird perhaps because I reckon it may be a juvenile Dark Chanting Goshawk?

*EDIT*
Maybe I should elaborate a little. This bird of yours appears to have barring extending onto the vent in contradistinction with Gabar Goshawk of which the vent would be pure white. The general body posture also looks more like DCG to me but it's always difficult to tell from just one picture. I'd be interested to see what the tail barring looks like and just get a better feel for the general posture if you have more pics.

Thanks for the direction / answer, deefstes... and confirmation, Johann. From your lack of response on my suggestion / question about more long-tailed raptors with melanistic form I assume the Gabar Goshawk and Ovambo Sparrowhawk then to be the only two species with those (melanistic) variations.

Thanks again