Lizard Buzzard
Kaupifalco monogrammicus
A small, chunky, grayish hawk with a distinctive pale throat spliced by a vertical black throat stripe; has one or two (rarely) broad white bars across the black tail. Occurs in singles or pairs in savanna and is often seen perched in the open, watching for insects, lizards, snakes, and other small vertebrates. Calls a loud shrill “peeee-eeeuuu” or repeated “whuuua-whuuua-whuuaa”. It is shorter-legged and has a more powerful build than most sparrowhawks. Most similar to Gabar Goshawk, both having a broad white rump band in flight, but Lizard Buzzard is distinguished by its distinctive throat pattern, pale tail bands, and pale tail tips.
Identification
The lizard buzzard is a smallish stocky raptor with a total body length of 35–37 cm and a wingspan of about 79 cm. Males weigh 246 g, females 304 g on average. The upperparts, head and breast are grey. There is a vertical black line on the white throat, which distinguishes this species from all other raptors. The belly is white with fine dark barring. The underwings are white with dark tips. The tail is black with a white tip and a single white band. The eyes are dark reddish brown to black. The cere and legs are red to orange red. Sexes are similar. The flight pattern is undulating like a thrush. The juvenile lizard buzzard resembles the adult, the only variations are slight brown tinge to the wings with an orange yellow cere and legs.
Taxonomy
Molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed that the lizard buzzard is not closely related to Buteo buzzards but rather to Accipiter hawks. This extends to morphological associations, e.g. the lizard buzzard has pointed and fairly short wings. Despite the lizard buzzard inhabiting Africa, phylogenetic evidence indicates that its closest relatives are the two Microspizias hawks of Central and South America.
- Scientific name
- Kaupifalco monogrammicus
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1824)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Kaupifalco
Range and habitat
The lizard buzzard occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa from Eritrea to north eastern South Africa. It remains common in West Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and north eastern areas of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. Its preferred habitat is moist dense savannah woodland especially miombo woodland, forest edges and wooded margins of rivers. It is also found, especially in winter, in arid thornbush in savannah areas of East and Central Africa.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Sulawesi Scops-Owl
Otus manadensis
A small brown owl with yellow eyes and feathered ear tufts. Note square head shape when tufts not raised. Body all brown with extensive scattered darker and paler markings. Juvenile heavily barred on back and crown. Inhabits understory of forest and forest edge from lowlands to lower mountains. Endemic to Sulawesi. Distinctive: the only scops-owl in range. Song a persistent single note “woooo” repeated often, sometimes with an upward inflection at the end: “wooooek.”
Trocaz Pigeon
Columba trocaz
Endemic to the island of Madeira, where it is largely restricted to native laurel and tree heath forests. Body is largely gray with a purple-pink breast, and a noticeable silvery patch with black streaks on the side of the neck. The iris is yellow with a red ring around the eyes. Compare with the only other pigeon on the island, the Rock Pigeon; note differences in structure, color, and habitat preference. Song is a series of very low, groaning coos.
Talaud Rail
Gymnocrex talaudensis
An unmistakable, little-known hulking forest rail with a large yellow bill, an all-rufous head and neck, forest-green upperparts, and a blackish belly. Also note the striking pale blaze behind the eye. An extremely shy terrestrial bird with a very limited range in the Talaud Islands. Inhabits forest understory and marshy areas along forest edge. Calls include deep “ump-ump-ump” series and a hurried, high-pitched “peet-peet-peet.”
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.