It usually hunts from a perch with a swift dash after quarry (in flight) at dusk and dawn in low light conditions (Kemp 1994).
Least Concern
This small to medium sized Accipiter species displays remarkable geographical and individual variation (Louette 2010).
It is one of the commonest raptors in African forests and woodlands. Yet, the species can be easily confused with others of the same genus due to its quite extensive individual morphological variation related to age and sex.
Many characteristics should be taken into account before a definite identification can be made in those areas where it occurs alsongside other Accipiter species. Though it cannot be excluded that individuals occasionally occur outside their normal range, this must be rare, because African Goshawks are sedentary. Therefore, the locality is an important clue for the taxon identification (Louette 2010).
Widely in central and southeastern Africa: In African mainland equatorial regions (from Angola to Somalia), in southeastern regions of the continent (to South Africa), and on the islands Zanzibar and Pemba.
Under any of the phylogenetic species concepts (Louette 2010), some authorities (like Sinclair & Ryan 2003) prefer to split African Goshawk into two species: African Goshawk A. tachiro sensu stricto and ‘Red-chested Goshawk’ A. toussenelii.
According to molecular analyses by Louette’s team JEMU of the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) at Tervuren in Belgium, it appears that it is justified, based on molecular phylogenetic arguments as well as genetic distance between the species to consider A. toussenelii and A. tachiro separate species (Breman et al. 2013).
A. tachiro has been DNA barcoded; there is a DNA barcode available for the type specimen stored at the RMCA. A. tachiro has been studied in phylogenetic studies as well (Griffiths et al. 2007).
Forests and savanna woodlands
Easily confused with A. toussenelii which occurs strictly in dense forests
Age-related plumage variation: the pattern of spotting (in the juvenile) and barring (in the adult) of the breast feathers is variable among all subspecies. Plumage characteristics are functionally related to habitat, age and possibly mimicry (Louette 2000).
Sexual dimorphism in:
- plumage-colour: the females of the woodland forms have much less rufous on flanks and tibiae than males (and often none at all);
- size: the females are larger than the males, like all Accipiter species worldwide.
Resident, sedentary
It builds the nest high in a tree.
There is a cline in size in equatorial Africa, from large East African to small West African birds.
Habitat destruction and the spread of agriculture. The species is able to adapt to new environments.
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.
It feeds on small birds, bats, rodents, squirrels, reptiles, amphibians and insects which are hunted (in flight) from a perch.
The African goshawk (Accipiter tachiro) is an African species of bird of prey in the genus Accipiter which is the type genus of the family Accipitridae.
The African goshawk is a medium to large-sized Accipiter which is mainly grey and rufous with the typical broad-winged and long-tailed shape of its genus. The adult has grey upperparts which tend to be darker in males than in females, the underparts are whitish marked with rufous barring which is more pronounced in males. The underwing is pale rufous, fading to white on some birds and the flight feathers and tail vary from sooty brown to grey with faint grey bars above, white with grey bars below. The bill is black, the cere is greenish-grey, the eyes are yellow, and the legs and feet are yellow. Juveniles are brown above with whitish unterparts and flanks which are boldly blotched with brown. Females weigh 270–510 g (9.5–18.0 oz), while the smaller males weigh 150–340 g (5.3–12.0 oz). The wingspan is 1.7 times the bird's total length and 440–570 mm (17.2–22.5 in) in males and 540–700 mm (21.1–27.5 in) in females.[4][5]
It is noisy when displaying. Its characteristic clicking call is omitted every 2–3 seconds and sounds to the human ear like two stones being knocked together.[5]
From the Western Cape of South Africa north to the southern Democratic Republic of Congo and through east Africa, Somalia to southern Ethiopia, including the islands of Mafia, Unguja (Zanzibar) and Pemba.[5]
The African goshawk generally occurs in forest and diverse dense woodland in both lowland and montane areas, but it can also be found in riverine and gallery forest, plantations of exotic trees, parks and large gardens. It can occur in both moist and dry forest, even in isolated patches.[5]
The African goshawk typically soars above the canopy in the morning in a display flight involving slow wing beats interspersed with gliding, sometimes so high up that the only sign of the birds is its regular clicking call.[4] Its main prey are birds up to the size of hornbills or francolins, but it also feeds on mammals, lizards and sometimes invertebrates. It is an ambush hunter, waiting on a perch until the prey is observed then swooping down to catch it. Pairs occasionally hunt co-operatively at large congregations of prey, such as bat roosts or weaver colonies.[6]
The African goshawk is territorial and the typical courtship display is performed by both sexes when they fly together in an undulated flight while calling loudly, sometimes finishing with a steep dive. The female builds the nest making a platform of sticks lined with fresh foliage, as well as pine needles, lichen and mistletoe. It is normally built on a branch away from the main trunk of a tree, as the species prefers to nest within dense foliage but the nest may also be constructed on top of an old Hadeda ibis nest. African Goshawks have also been recorded taking over the nest of a little sparrowhawk (Accipiter minullus) instead of building their own. One to three eggs are laid in July–December, with a peak in September–November and are incubated mainly or solely by the female for about 35–37 days, while the male regularly brings food to her. The chicks are fed by both parents, fledging at about 30–35 days old but staying within the vicinity of the nest tree for another six weeks or so before becoming fully independent roughly 1–3 months after leaving the nest.[6]
The species has been recorded as being preyed on by the black sparrowhawk (Accipiter melanoleuca), the tawny eagle (Aquila rapax), the Cape eagle-owl (Bubo capensis), the lanner falcon (Falco biarmicus) and the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus).[6]
There are three currently recognised subspecies:[3]
The African Goshawk is sometimes considered conspecific with the Central African subspecies of the Red-chested goshawk (Accipiter toussenelii).[1]
The African goshawk (Accipiter tachiro) is an African species of bird of prey in the genus Accipiter which is the type genus of the family Accipitridae.
