About Micronisus gabar (Daudin, 1800)
Micronisus gabar (Daudin, 1800), commonly known as the gabar goshawk, is a polymorphic species that occurs in two distinct forms, whose relative abundance varies across the species' geographic range. The more common paler form has mostly grey upperparts, a prominent white rump, white and grey barring on the chest, thighs and underwings, and a dark grey barred tail. The less common dark form makes up an average of approximately 25% of the total population and is almost entirely black. For adults of both forms, the eyes are dark, the legs are long, and the cere is red. Immature gabar goshawks have yellow ceres and yellow legs, and generally have browner overall plumage. Pale immature birds have messier chest barring than pale adult birds. Females are significantly larger than males: males weigh 90 to 173 grams, while females weigh 167 to 240 grams. This species has a body length of 28 to 36 centimeters and a wingspan of 63 centimeters. The gabar goshawk is distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, with its range extending into the Arabian Peninsula. Three subspecies are currently recognized: M. g. aequatorius, found in the highlands from Ethiopia to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and northern Mozambique; M. g. gabar, found from southern Angola to Zambia, Mozambique, and South Africa; and M. g. niger, found from Senegambia to Sudan, northern Ethiopia and southwestern Arabia. The gabar goshawk inhabits open woodland, particularly dry Acacia savanna and broad-leaved woodland containing miombo (Brachystegia), cluster-leaf Terminalia, and mopane (Colosphermum mopane). In more arid regions of southern Africa, such as the Karoo and Namib Desert, it is generally limited to tree-lined watercourses, but it can also move into cities and towns.
