Black Goshawk Accipiter melanoleucus Scientific name definitions

40–58 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); male 430–490 g, female 650–980 g; wingspan 77–105 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Pied plumage of adult notable, with white breast in normal morph, or at most (2 Allan, D. G. (1997). Field identification of African Accipiter species and similar-looking hawks. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 4(2):74–82. Close ) white throat in melanistic morph (nominate race only), which also lacks barring in wings and tail (2 Allan, D. G. (1997). Field identification of African Accipiter species and similar-looking hawks. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 4(2):74–82. Close ). Melanistic birds are typically rare, but predominate in parts of the Cape region of S Africa (2 Allan, D. G. (1997). Field identification of African Accipiter species and similar-looking hawks. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 4(2):74–82. Close ). Bare parts largely yellow, except wine red iris (brown in juvenile) (2 Allan, D. G. (1997). Field identification of African Accipiter species and similar-looking hawks. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 4(2):74–82. Close ), although some adults have deep yellow iris and juvenile has greenish-yellow cere and duller-coloured legs (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Similar to Hieraaetus and Spizaetus hawk-eagles, differing notably in unfeathered yellow legs and dark eye. Female much larger than male, by up to 15% in size and 55% in mass (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile  also with two morphs, underparts rufous or cream and streaked with dark brown; large (female) juveniles of A. tachiro are similar, but speckled or barred on underparts. N race temminckii also smaller and has more mottled flanks (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

All types of forest, dense woodland and exotic plantations, from tropical lowlands to high montane patches as high as 3700 m (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Even occurs in and around cities, e.g. Yaoundé, Cameroon, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (3 Ash, J. S., and J. Atkins (2009). Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea: An Atlas of Distribution. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). In the urban environment of Cape Town, South Africa, six adult males fitted with GPS loggers hunted mostly within 2·27 km of their nest during the breeding season and within 2·43 km outside of the breeding season, with high individual variation but no significant seasonal differences (4 Sumasgutner, P., Tate, G.J., Koeslag, A. and Amar, A. (2016). Seasonal patterns in space use of Black Sparrowhawks Accipiter melanoleucus in an urban environment. Bird Study. 63(3): 430–435. Close ).

Resident and territorial in most areas. However, rapidly colonizes new plantations in grassland or savanna and may undertake long excursions across sea, lake or desert. Juvenile recorded moving up to 145 km in S Africa (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Possibly even locally migratory in W and NE Africa, e.g. most records from Gambia are in dry season and has been recorded at sea off Dakar (5 Wacher, T. (1993). Some new observations of forest birds in The Gambia. Malimbus 15(1):24–37. Close ); and just 4 records each from different parts of Somalia (6 Ash, J. S., and J. E. Miskell (1998). Birds of Somalia. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) and Eritrea (3 Ash, J. S., and J. Atkins (2009). Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea: An Atlas of Distribution. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Mainly birds of 80–300 g, up to size of guineafowl, but especially doves, pigeons and francolins. Exceptionally recorded taking guineafowl (Numida sp.) and even killing other hawks, A. badius, A. ovampensis and <em>A. tachiro</em> , and owls (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Takes some small mammals (mainly rodents but once a young mongoose) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and snakes, and also poultry if available. Hunts by fast dash from perch within cover (usually just below canopy (7 Demey, R., and L. D. C. Fishpool (1994). The birds of Yapo Forest, Ivory Coast. Malimbus 16(2):100–122. Close ) ), less often after fast coursing flight under cover of vegetation or low over ground, sometimes by fast stoop from high soaring flight. A bold predator, capable of prolonged tail chases after quarry that extend into secondary forest, savanna and grassland. May carry prey 12 km to nest, flying high above the canopy, and has been observed pursuing prey up to 1·5 km (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Only vocalizes during breeding season; pairs appear to duet prior to egg-laying, male giving high-pitched "kyip" and female a deeper "chep"; female gives loud "kow-kow-kow-kow-kow" if disturbed at nest, and male also "kyip" call when bringing food to nest (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Laying Aug–Nov in W Africa; Mar–Jun and Oct–Dec in Zaire and Kenya; May–Mar (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) in S & C Africa (peak Jul–Aug in South Africa and Sept–Oct in Zimbabwe) (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Both sexes build the large stick nest (50–90 cm wide and 40–75 cm deep, depending on their age (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), sometimes originally belonging to another raptor) (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) high in multi-branched fork of tall forest tree, e.g. Celtis africana (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ) (7–37 m above ground, usually higher in high-rainfall regions) (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ), usually in main fork (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); especially attracted to eucalypt plantations, and other exotic trees (poplars and pines), even in urban areas (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); lines nest with sprays of green leaves; same site may be used repeatedly over successive seasons; rarely nests on ground at base of tree. Nest usually reused in consecutive seasons, sometimes for as long as decades (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ). Usually three unmarked eggs (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ) (1 (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close )–4) laid at two-day intervals, 56 mm × 44 mm (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ); incubation 34–38 days commencing with first egg and mainly by female (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ); chicks have white down and are fed mainly by female, provisioned by male (8 Tarboton, W. (2001). A Guide to the Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa. Close ); fledging 37–50+ (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) days.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Widespread and common, but apparently at low density in extensive lowland rain forest tracts despite nest territory of only 250 ha. Among forest patches and savanna, occurs at densities of 1 pair/13 km² in Kenya, or 1 pair/38–150 km² in Transvaal, South Africa, where total of 800 pairs. Uncommon but widespread in Ethiopia , where formerly nested in Addis Ababa but has not done so recently (3 Ash, J. S., and J. Atkins (2009). Birds of Ethiopia and Eritrea: An Atlas of Distribution. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Adapts well to various secondary forests and readily colonizes exotic plantations and subsistence farmland. Vulnerable to cutting of forest and deciduous woodlands; known to have high pesticide levels in some areas of S Africa, and to have suffered local reductions in some unnatural habitats.