Small raptor from South Africa, late march (1 Viewer)

[Thibaud]

Hi everybody,

I've been uploading old photos to inaturalist, and one of my ids has been challenged.
I saw this small raptor perched in a tree near Wilderness (Western Cape, South Africa) in late march of 2016. It was pretty obscured but I IDed it as Little Sparrowhawk.
Now, someone has commented that it could be an African Cuckoo Hawk, based on the broad barring on the belly. Its jizz and the white spots on the shoulders still say Accipiter to me, but I have no further experience with either species.

So, what say the experts?

As always, many thanks in advance,
T

 

[tconzemi]

The broad barring is normal in juvenile plumage of Little SH and African Gos, this bird is moulting from juv to adult and looks better for Little over Gos but these two can be very similar. African Cuckoohawk has very different face

 

[Butty]

The thick straight dark bars are shown on flank of juv little sparrowhawk in Raptors of the World - not on African goshawk. (And I don't see them shown for either species in other books, including SASOL Birds of Prey.)

 

[tconzemi]

Little Sparrowhawk - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

African Goshawk - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

Furthermore, African Cuckoo-hawk does not have a round nostril

 

[Andy Adcock]

The thick straight dark bars are shown on flank of juv little sparrowhawk in Raptors of the World - not on African goshawk. (And I don't see them shown for either species in other books, including SASOL Birds of Prey.)

SASOL 5th edition shows them.

 

[Butty]

African Goshawk - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

The OP's bird has thick straight continuous dark bars. The Opus African gos juvenile has broken-up blobby barring (as books show also); pretty different.

SASOL 5th edition shows them.

I must invest. (I actually referred to SASOL Birds of Prey of Africa - different book from the field guide).

 

[tconzemi]

The OP's bird has thick straight continuous dark bars. The Opus African gos juvenile has broken-up blobby barring (as books show also); pretty different

African Bird Club

Consider the angle and have a bit of imagination

 

[Butty]

have a bit of imagination

I'll choose to believe that lost something in translation.

 

[Thibaud]

Thanks gents! I'm glad to have it confirmed as definitely an Accipiter at least. I know I never got a clear shot of the bird, but I'll check if I have others that show more of the breast.

 

[Andy Adcock]

The OP's bird has thick straight continuous dark bars. The Opus African gos juvenile has broken-up blobby barring (as books show also); pretty different.


I must invest. (I actually referred to SASOL Birds of Prey of Africa - different book from the field guide).

I realised that but I checked ed 4 and ed 5 in the field guide and the illustration has been changed to show these bars.

 

[Andy Hurley]

I realised that but I checked ed 4 and ed 5 in the field guide and the illustration has been changed to show these bars.

Andy, do you recommend the 5th Edition? My 4th Ed is getting very worn, falling to bits and taped back together, but has lots of additional notes and the bird names in German, so I am loath to replace it.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Andy, do you recommend the 5th Edition? My 4th Ed is getting very worn, falling to bits and taped back together, but has lots of additional notes and the bird names in German, so I am loath to replace it.

Deffo worth the upgrade Andy.

 

[Butty]

...and/or there's the app option - if you're into such things.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Deffo worth the upgrade Andy.

There is also a larger version of the 5th ed The Sasol Larger Guide to Birds of Southern Africa : Sinclair, Ian, Hockey, Phil, Tarboton, Warwick, Perrins, Niall, Rollinson, Dominic: Amazon.de: Books

 

[Andy Hurley]

...and/or there's the app option - if you're into such things.

It seems at first glace to be in Kindle format. Which is great if you have a colour Kindle, or phone that takes the kindle app. I need to update mine to get it, which I don't really want to do. I'll wait till my wife upgrades her phone and use her old one. I Only use them in "emergencies", or to use bird apps and my current device is the I phone version 4, which doesn't have access to the newer network systems any more.

 

[Butty]

Sasol eBirds Southern Africa - Apps on Google Play
Apple 🤮 too, presumably.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Sasol eBirds Southern Africa - Apps on Google Play
Apple 🤮 too, presumably.

Oh right! Thanks for digging out the link for me Butty!

 

[njlarsen]

It seems at first glace to be in Kindle format. Which is great if you have a colour Kindle, or phone that takes the kindle app. I need to update mine to get it, which I don't really want to do. I'll wait till my wife upgrades her phone and use her old one. I Only use them in "emergencies", or to use bird apps and my current device is the I phone version 4, which doesn't have access to the newer network systems any more.

Shouldn't the iphone be able to download the kindle app from the app store?

Niels

 

[Muppit17]

Sasol eBirds Southern Africa - Apps on Google Play
Apple 🤮 too, presumably.

I would be interested in feedback on the app if anyone has used.

The 5th edition appears to be available for £14.31 from amazon.
Kindle version is £9.99

The app is £17.49 - however the app is optimised for on screen use and includes '1000 calls'. Which I guess makes it similar to the Collins Bird Guides app (of which I am a fan) . In addition it says that it will update the app in the future for content - in principle future proofing.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Shouldn't the iphone be able to download the kindle app from the app store?

Niels

Not mine Niels, Its a version 4 that is no longer supported in sooo many ways!!