Jackal Buzzard Buteo rufofuscus Scientific name definitions

45–55 cm; male 865–1080 g, female 1150–1695 g; wingspan 127–143 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Large, heavy Buteo, with proprtionately smaller, more pointed head but strong bill , relatively short tail but long wings (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Bold patterning distinctive in flight , with black-and-chestnut body against rufous tail and broad black-and-white wings. Individually variable. Sometimes mistaken for larger, narrow-winged <em>Terathopius ecaudatus</em> . Morph exists with pale, almost white, breast patch recalling B. augur (latter always has white wing linings versus all black or >50% blackish) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), while others are entirely brown below, or largely brown, black or white, or combination of two of these (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Female averages 8% larger and 38% heavier than male (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Bare parts: dark reddish-brown irides (dark brown in juvenile), yellow cere (duller in juvenile) and yellow legs (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile pale rufous-brown below; moults to immature plumage at age c. 6 months and assumes adult plumage at age three years (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

South Africa, S & C Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland; marginal in extreme S Mozambique and extreme SW Botswana.

Open steppe  and grassland, mostly above 1000 m (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and especially in hilly and mountainous terrain to 3500 m, but ranges to subdesert coastal regions in Namibia (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

No regular movements described and many pairs considered to be wholly sedentary (e.g. one female was retrapped after nine years just 8 km from the original site) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), but some suggested by long-distance (640 km) ringing recoveries of adults and juveniles, and appearance of birds on open plains away from nesting areas in non-breeding season. Two records from Zimbabwe within range of B. augur (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Noticeable fluctuations in numbers of adults, e.g. in Karoo, also hint at some, perhaps random, movements (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Mainly small mammals up to size of young hyrax (Procavia capensis) and mongeese, but mainly rodents (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); ground-feeding birds to size of francolin or sandgrouse (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); and large snakes and lizards. Also takes some insects (alate termites and grasshoppers) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), and carrion important in winter (provided larger predators are absent), including records of hare (Lepus capensis), springhare (Pedetes capensis), springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) and steenbok (Raphinicerus campestris) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Hunts for much of the time on the wing, soaring and hanging expertly in updraughts and strong, gusty winds, but also still-hunts from roadside perches (e.g. poles or posts) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Stoops at prey from foraging flight, and most items are taken on bare ground (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Vocalizes year-round but mainly during high-circling displays, a sharp, high-pitched, jackal-like barking "kweh" or yelping "kyaah-ka-ka-ka" that is reminiscent of B. oreophilus but lower-pitched, and quite different from closely related B. augur; male calls are higher-pitched than those of female (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Laying May–Nov (peak varying regionally, Aug–Sept in Transvaal, Jul–Sept in Natal) (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ). Usually monogamous, but apparently occasionally polyandrous (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Courtship comprises mutual circling and gentle stoops by male, accompanied by much vocalizing (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Same territory, consisting of inner core and broader outer range (mainly used in non-breeding season), and even nest (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), may be used for 30+ years (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ), usually with minimum of 1 km between nests (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Both sexes (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ) build large stick nest (40–100 cm wide and up to c. 35 cm deep) (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ) lined with grass and green leaves, usually on a cliff ledge (at base of small tree or bush) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) up to 30 m above ground (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), sometimes in main fork or on lateral branch of tall tree (often an exotic) (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ) 6–15 m above ground (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) or even windmill or electricity tower (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Usually two white or bluish-white eggs usually with sparse brown markings (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ) (1–3) (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ) laid at 2–3-day intervals, 54·4–64·8 mm × 44–50·6 mm (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ); incubation commences with first egg (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ) c. 39–40 days (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), probably mainly by female (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ); chick c. 30 g on hatching (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ), has white down, and is fed mainly by female, provisioned by male (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ); elder chick often kills younger sibling; fledging 50–53 days. May apparently replace clutches lost early in breeding season (3 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Some pairs do not breed annually (2 Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, and K. Newman (1982). The Birds of Africa. Volume 1. Academic Press, London, UK and New York, USA. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Common, at one bird/62 km on road transects through karooid steppe, and at densities of one pair/17–30 km² in mountainous Transvaal habitats in South Africa, where estimated 1100 pairs, but densities probably much lower in lowland areas (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Prefers areas of low human density and extensive small stock farming. Not known to be affected by pesticides, but birds drowning in steep-sided farm reservoirs is potentially a local problem (4 Anderson, M. D., A. W. A. Maritz, and E. Oosthuysen (1999) Raptors drowning in farm reservoirs in South Africa. Ostrich 70:139–144. Close ).