About the Ovambo Sparrowhawk
The Ovambo or Ovampo sparrowhawk, also known as Hilgert's sparrowhawk, is a species of sub-Saharan African bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It takes its name from the Ovamboland in northern Namibia.
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The Ovambo sparrowhawk is a small sparrowhawk with the typical broad winged, long-tailed shape of a member of the genus Accipiter. The adults have plain grey upperparts with white bars on the rump and white underparts which are finely barred with grey but with a plain white vent. The tail has three dark bars and a broad, dark subterminal band. The bill is black, contrasting with the red cere, the eyes are dark red and the legs are orange. There is a melanistic form which is all black except for the white barred flight feathers on the underwing.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Ovambo Sparrowhawk lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Chad.
When to see the Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Peak activity in January · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Rufous-breasted SparrowhawkAccipiter rufiventrisA small raptor, with a height of about 30 cm and wingspan of 72 cm, the rufous-breasted sparrowhawk is named for its distinctive rufous-coloured underparts, which can be seen both perching and in flight.
Madagascar SparrowhawkAccipiter madagascariensisThe Madagascar sparrowhawk is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.
Grey-bellied HawkAccipiter poliogasterThis medium-sized hawk measures 38–51 cm in body length, with females being considerably larger (by about 40%) than males.
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