Oleaginous Hemispingus

A small, slender grayish hawk with a distinct hood and a white rump; resembles a miniature chanting-goshawk. A scarce dark (melanistic) form also occurs. In flight, note heavily barred underwings and tail. Pairs inhabit moist and arid savanna, where they terrorize small birds and other small vertebrates at waterholes. Distinctive piping repeated “peeii-peeii-peeii” and “teeui-teeui-teeui” are reminiscent of Water Thick-knee and different from other small hawks. Differs from other hawks as follows: Ovambo Sparrowhawk has a barred throat; Shikra has a white throat and red eye; Lizard Buzzard has a throat streak and distinctive tail banding; and chanting-goshawks are much larger.

Very small diving seabird. Fairly common locally in fjords, channels, and the Strait of Magellan, where it can be seen from shore and ferries; uncommon out in open ocean. Swims low in the water and usually dives when approached or runs along the water to fly away from boats. Flight is low and fast over the sea with rapid “whirring” wingbeats; does not glide. Plumage blackish above, whitish below with contrasting white neck sides and a black cap, unlike other diving-petrels.

A graceful aerial feeder found over a wide variety of open habitats, especially near water, including marshes and towns. Often seen on exposed perches including power and telephone lines in villages. Commonly found in flocks of up to twenty birds, sometimes mixing with other swallows and martins. Note the male’s diagnostic glossy purple-blue plumage and snow-white belly. Females and immatures are similarly patterned, but have brown mixed with the blue and are probably not safely separable from Cuban Martin. Female and immature Purple Martins are very similar, but they often have a scaly breast and finely streaked belly, with less contrast between belly and chest. Notably, Cuban and Purple Martins are not present in this species’ range from March to September. Calls include a harsh “churr,” a buzzy “zwick-zwick,” and a musical buzzy burbling.