Gabar goshawk  (Melierax gabar)

Description

The gabar goshawk occurs in two very distinct forms that fluctuate in relative abundance across the species’ range. The more common, paler form has largely grey upperparts, conspicuous white and grey barring on the chest, thighs and underwings, a white rump and a dark grey, barred tail (2). In contrast, the slightly rarer form, which accounts on average for approximately 25 percent of the overall population, is almost completely black (2) (4). In both types of adult the eyes are dark, and the long legs and the obvious bare patch of skin around the base of the beak, known as the cere, are red (2) (4) (5). The cere and the legs are yellow in immature gabar goshawks and the plumage is generally browner, with the pale form having less tidy barring on the chest than the adult (2) (4). Adult females are significantly larger than adult males, and weigh around 90 percent more (2).

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