Red-necked Buzzard
Buteo auguralis
This is the common buzzard of much of the Sahel in north, west, and central Africa. Typically has a brown back, a dark chest, a black-spotted white belly, and a rufous tail. Can variably show rufous on the neck and breast. Dark brown immatures lack rufous on the tail. In flight, shows a white underwing with a thick black border. Found in savanna, broadleaf woodland, and forest clearings. Similar to Common Buzzard, but separated by the contrasting underparts: a dark chest and a white belly. The call is a drawn-out squeal.
Identification
The red-necked buzzard is a medium-sized bird of prey with a distinctive rufous neck, the rufous colour extends up over the crown and down on to the upper back. The rest of the upperparts are mostly blackish, except for the rufous upper tail feathers which has a black subterminal bar. The underparts are mainly white, apart from a dark throat and dark blotches which extend along the flanks. Juveniles resemble the adults, but have a browner upperparts, creamy rather than white underparts and lack the dark throat.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Buteo auguralis
- Authority
- Salvadori, 1866
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Buteo
Range and habitat
The red-necked buzzard prefers forest edges and clearings, including those within secondary and primary forests but it occurs in cultivated areas and is generally absent from the main areas of lowland rainforest up to an altitude of 2,500 metres. The red-necked buzzard occurs in a broad band running from Mauritania south to Liberia then eastwards to Ethiopia and Uganda, as well as south along the Gulf of Guinea coast through Gabon to the Democratic Republic of Congo and north-eastern Angola.<p>The red-necked buzzard is a partial migrant, the northern populations may be completely migrant which leave the savanna following the rains and spend the dry season to the south along the edge of the main forest zone.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Speckle-breasted Woodpecker
Dendropicos poecilolaemus
Small, rather pale greenish woodpecker. The underparts are mostly plain yellowish, with fine spotting on the breast. The crown is black and red in males and all black in females. Found in lush woodland and farmland and along forest edge. Fairly similar to other small, green-backed woodpeckers, but easily identified by the pattern of its underparts.
Northern Variable Pitohui
Pitohui kirhocephalus
A fairly large bird of lowland and foothill secondary forest and edge. As the name suggests, a variably plumaged bird. All have rufous underparts, but one is all rufous with yellow bill, the rest have dark bill and dark wings, some with blackish and others with gray hood. All rufous birds are similar to Rusty Pitohui but lack the white eye. Black headed birds are almost identical to Hooded Pitohui, but Northern Variable is slightly larger and found at lower elevations. The variable song is a medium-pitch, warbled jumble and call, a nasal grating.
Collared Imperial-Pigeon
Ducula mullerii
The large, nomadic pigeon of mangroves and riverine forests. Note the distinctive, full black collar that narrows at the front and meets the maroon back. Black tail with white band across. Small flocks often seen in flight or perched up on exposed branches. Unmistakable when seen perched, but in flight similar to Pinon’s Imperial-Pigeon. Collared Imperial-Pigeon is much more likely in mangroves. Call, a deep, muffled “woo-oo pooo” with the first 2-note call falling and the last, lower in pitch.
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