Bird
Gabar Goshawk
Micronisus gabarGabar goshawks are small, extraordinarily agile raptors that dart through dense thorny thickets with explosive speed to ambuscade small songbirds. They occur in two distinct plumage morphs, a barred grey form and a striking completely melanistic black morph, both displaying bright coral-red legs and ceres. Remarkably, breeding pairs often collect living social spider webs and incorporate them into their stick nests, allowing the spiders to bind and camouflage the structure.
RaptorCarnivoreDiurnal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyRed-billed Quelea, Agama Lizards, Savanna Rodents
Predators
- Martial Eagle
- Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
- Tawny Eagle
ThreatsHabitat loss from clear-cutting, agricultural intensification, and pesticide accumulation
HabitatsSavannas, thornveld, dry open woodlands, and arid scrublands
Life span8–12 years
Classification
- OrderAccipitriformes
- FamilyAccipitridae
- GenusMicronisus
- SpeciesMicronisus gabar
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Observation post: Scan dead acacia branches and telephone poles along arid roadsides for still perches.
- Colony monitoring: Check colonial weaver nests, where these agile hunters frequently raid chicks and eggs.
Look-alike Ravi Vaidyanathan / CC BY 2.5 · cc-by
Prey Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Predator Yathin S Krishnappa / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Same Family (c) Bruno - Yolande Zanette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Mystic Meadows
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