[tomjenner]

I photographed this bird yesterday on Tuti Island in Khartoum, Sudan. It was flying with an immature bird that had a pale rump and seemed to be a Gabar Goshawk and we immediately assumed that this was one of the adults. However, after it settled I took a few shots and my friend commented that it had a yellow rather than red cere. In general the bird has a more 'angry' look to it than a Gabar Goshawk usually does, because of the small white supercilium and pale eye (which should be dark in an adult bird). It clearly has a grey breast indicating that it is not an Accipiter and it seemed too small to be one of the chanting goshawks. Is this just a Gabar Goshawk, which is a species common at this site, or have I overlooked something?
Any comments appreciated.
Thanks

Tom

[tconzemi]

Looks perfect for Gabar
as the medium coverts have a brown hue I guess it is a second calendar year bird and the bare parts will turn red within the next months

[Tib78]

Yes it's definitely a Gabar. The bird shows the white tipped secondaries, highly diagnostic of Gabar at any age. Just beware of worn birds that may just show a thin white line, and in some extreme cases, the white tips may have completely worn off.

I guess Tom is probably right, the bare parts colours and the white super are remnants of immaturity.

[tomjenner]

Thanks for the comments.

Tom