African Harrier-Hawk

Description:

The African Harrier-Hawk is a medium-sized raptor. The upper parts, head and breast are pale grey. The belly is white with fine dark barring. The broad wings are pale grey with a black trailing edge fringed with a narrow white line. The tail is black with a single broad white band. There is a bare facial patch of variable color. Genders are similar, but young birds have pale brown instead of grey, and dark brown replacing black. The African Harrier-Hawk is omnivorous, eating the fruit of the Oil Palm as well as hunting vertebrates. Its ability to climb, using wings as well as feet, and its long double-jointed legs, enable this bird to raid the hole nests of barbets and woodhoopoes for fledglings.