Black Sparrowhawk

Afrikaans name: Swartsperwer

Photo © Steven Herbert

Accipiter melanoleucus

The Black Sparrowhawk is quite a large raptor that prefers forested and well-vegetated areas. in South Africa it is found all the way from Cape Town, up the east coast to the northern regions of the country.

Black Sparrowhawks feed mainly off birds, as their name implies. These vary in size from weavers through to hornbills. They also take mammals such as mongooses and hares.

Most of their hunting is done from a perch in a high tree.

The pair build their nest in a fork in a high tree. Occasionally they re-use the nest of other species. Up to four eggs are laid and they are incubated by the female. The male brings food to the nest for her. The female continues to tend to the chicks for about 3 weeks and then she starts helping the male hunt for food.

Top

References and further reading

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Year Published: 1983 - Page: 77

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Year Published: 1959 - Page: 134

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Year Published: 1975 - Page: 134

African Birds of Prey - Author: Leslie Brown - Year Published: 1970 - Page: 85

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Year Published: 1974 - Page: 50

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Year Published: 1974 - Page: 112

Birds of Prey of Southern Africa - Author: Peter Steyn - Year Published: 1985 - Page: 168

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Year Published: 1985 - Page: 82

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Year Published: 1992 - Page: 20

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Year Published: 1987 - Page: 56

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Year Published: 1999 - Page: 13

Common Birds of the North Coast - Author: Bing Comrie - Year Published: 2005 - Page: 18

Eagles, Hawks & Falcons of the World - Author: Leslie Brown and Dean Amadon - Year Published: 1989 - Page: 460

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Year Published: 1991 - Page: 64

Ian Sinclair's Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Year Published: 1988 - Page: 78

Know your Birds of Prey - Author: - Year Published: - Page: 27

Newman's Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Year Published: 1984 - Page: 180

Newman's Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Year Published: 2000 - Page: 180

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Year Published: 1949 - Page: 63

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Year Published: 1975 - Page: 106

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Year Published: 1981 - Page: 114

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Year Published: 1985 - Page: 142

Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Year Published: 1993 - Page: 138

Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands - Author: Alan and Meg Kemp - Year Published: 1998 - Page: 180

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Year Published: 1993 - Page: 114

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Year Published: 2011 - Page: 118

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Year Published: 1989 - Page: 1

The Status & Conservation of Birds of Prey in the Transvaal - Author: W. Tarboton and D. Allan - Year Published: 1984 - Page: 77

List of South African Birds