African harrier-hawk in a suburban tree

The African harrier-hawk, previously known as the gymnogene and in Afrikaans as the kaalwangvalk (bare cheek hawk) is a medium to fairly large raptor with wide wings, small head and long legs and tail. The body is about 63 cm long.

The upper part plumage is pale grey, also the head and breast. The facial skin is bare and yellow, sometimes red. The bill is black, the irises dark brown and the legs yellow. There are black spots on the wings, the belly white with dark bars. The tail is black with a white central bar across it. The sexes are similar. Juveniles are brown instead of grey, dark brown where the adults are black.

The birds have distinctive calls, whistling and some rapid notes, uttered while in flight or perched.

Harrier-hawks are found widespread in Africa south of the Sahara and in South Africa but excluding the dry western parts of the country. The photo was taken at Onrus near Hermanus. The birds prefer forest, dense woodland and wooded kloofs.

Usually solitary, the birds perch unobtrusively searching for prey, soaring or flying high and slowly. The target is often a small bird or its nest. The diet includes birds, their eggs, small mammals, reptiles, frogs and insects. The ankles are double-jointed, useful for inserting a foot into a crevice for extracting prey, like a bat, from less accessible holes.

The nest is a stick platform about 75 cm in diameter and 20 cm thick. It is made in a tree, on a cliff or rock cavity. The bowl for the eggs on top is lined with leafy plant parts. One or two red-blotched eggs are laid. Both parents contribute to hatching them over 35 days. The mother feeds the chicks with what the father brings to the nest. This goes on for about 50 days. The strongest chick sometimes kills the other when two hatch, a phenomenon called Cainism.

These adaptable birds have learnt to cope well in some urban areas (Maclean, 1993; Wikipedia; https://animalia.bio).