About the African Cuckoo-Hawk
The African cuckoo-hawk, or African baza, is a medium-sized raptor in the family Accipitridae so named because it resembles the common cuckoo. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa and along the eastern parts of Southern Africa, preferring dense woodland and forest of either indigenous or exotic trees.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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The African cuckoo-hawk weighs 220–296 grams (0.48–0.65 lb) and has a wingspan of 91 cm (35 inches). The male is blackish-brown above with a grey mantle and chest with a blackish crest, the underparts are white marked with broad chestnut bars. The tail is black with three grey bars and grey and white tip. The females are browner with paler chestnut bars on the underparts. Distinctive in flight as a small raptor with a small head with broad, narrowly rounded wings and a medium length tail. Wingspan is just over double the body length, females are slightly larger than males.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the African Cuckoo-Hawk lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Togo.
When to see the African Cuckoo-Hawk
Peak activity in November · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Jerdon's BazaAviceda jerdoniIt is about 41–48 cm long with a wingspan of 117 cm (46 in).
Madagascar Cuckoo-HawkAviceda madagascariensisThe adult Madagascar cuckoo-hawk has dark brown upperparts which are paler on the head and an off white rump.
Black BazaAviceda leuphotesThe black baza is a small and distinctively coloured raptor; it ranges from 30 to 35 cm in length, a 66 to 80 cm wingspan and a weight of 168 to 224 g.
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