Accipiter tachiro
Records: 4
Drafted by Roger Fieldwick
1st Draft: 9 June 2005
Send comments/inputs to: fieldwickr@telkomsa.net
1st Reviewed: Faansie Peacock (14 June 2005)
Distribution: Recorded between October and April only in the forested areas of the Gouwsberg in the north-east of the region (north-east of Bronkhorstspruit).
A displaying pair was also reported at Ezemvelo Nature Reserve (September 2004). There is an unsubstantiated report of a pair successfully breeding on a farm near to Magaliesburg for the past five years. Reports of other recent sightings at Randburg and Rustenburg are also equivocal owing to possible confusion with Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Shikra and possibly Little Sparrowhawk.
Gaps in Knowledge: Winter records, occurence elsewhere in the region ( eg forested kloofs in the Magaliesberg, suburbia), breeding status, movement, numbers.
Habitat: Indigenous forest, tall mature woodland, montane and riparian woodland, forested kloofs, well-wooded suburbia, has adapted to exotic plantations. In the PCC/BiG region it was recorded in mountainous terrain with deep valleys and gorges, which provides isolated patches of suitable habitat.
Status and movements: Very rare in the region. Recorded only in summer months but elsewhere in South Africa it is resident. It possibly breeds in the region. Its movements are unknown.
Population: Probably only a few pairs in the region.
Conservation: Recorded only in a relatively small unprotected forested area. Destruction of its habitat would would cause this bird to disappear from the region and is thus very vulnerable. The presence of a displaying pair at Ezemvelo Nature Reserve is encouraging, but it has not been recorded since.
However, the African Goshawk is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and for a raptor, it reaches very high densities in the moister E areas of Southern Africa. Its occurrence in the PCC/BiG region is peripheral, and it should not be a conservation priority (F. Peacock).