Error message
Unable to fetch location details at this time.
African Harrier-Hawk (young)
Polyboroides typus
-25.4328, 31.9558
Field Notes
Description:
The African Harrier-Hawk is a medium-sized raptor. The upperparts, head and breast are pale grey. The belly is white with fine dark barring. The broad wings are pale grey with a black trailing edge fringed with a narrow white line. The tail is black with a single broad white band. The head is small,distinctive and pointy, with a patch of naked yellow skin on the face which flushes red when the bird is excited. On the top of the head is a crest of feathers, which may be raised or lowered. Genders are similar, but young birds have pale brown instead of grey, and dark brown replacing black. Adult plumage is not attained until about the third year.
Habitat:
This bird was sitting quite high up in a tree, scouting over the terrain. It was close to a river (with water, despite dry period), quite close to Komatiepoort gate in Kruger National Park. (http://birding.krugerpark.co.za/best-birding-biome-habitat-map.html)
Notes:
An unusual trait of this species is the double-jointed knees it possesses, which enable it to reach into otherwise inaccessible holes and cracks for prey. A comparable leg-structure and behavior can be found in the Neotropical Crane Hawk; a case of convergent evolution. The diet of the African harrier-hawk is quite varied, and includes small mammals such as rodents and bats, as well as birds, eggs and nestlings, lizards, amphibians and insects. It may also occasionally take stranded fish or carrion, and in West Africa often feeds on oil-palm fruits. The African harrier-hawk is notable for its habit of actively searching for prey in trees, nests, rock faces, and from underneath objects on the ground. It can often be seen clambering about and hanging from tree limbs, running up tree trunks with wings flapping, or hanging from foliage or birds’ nests as it searches for food
Comments (21)