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Gabar goshawk ??


Gabar goshawk ??
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul van Slooten (pvs) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-10-29
Categories: Birds
Camera: Sony Alfa dSLR A700, Sony 300mm F2.8 G, Digital RAW 400
Exposure: f/4, 1/125 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Krugerpark October 2008
Date Submitted: 2008-11-07 7:06
Viewed: 940
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today an upload of a smaller goshawk,I guess this might be a gabar goshawk as it size was around 30cm,but I might be wrong and I hope someone can confirm my identification,we found it on our morning drive on the H4-2 tarroad from Lower sabie to Crocodile bridge,it was a tough guy to capture as it flew with us alongside the road and did not gave much photo opportunities,even give not the time to switch of engine and set up the beanbag as I usually did,but I managed to take a few shots whereof this is one of the better ones,I hope you like this one especially as it is of a small raptor that has not been posted that often on TN,thanks for your visits and comments and have a nice weekend.


The Gabar Goshawk is known in Afrikaans as Witkruissperwer (Kleinsingvalk).

The Gabar Goshawk has a height of 36 cms and weighs around 135 gms. The head is coloured grey while the bill is coloured grey. The Melierax gabar has a brown, white coloured throat, red legs and a black coloured back. The eyes are red.

Feeding Habits ...

This bird forages for food on the ground

The Melierax gabar attacks its prey aerially and feeds on wing or takes the prey to a secluded venue where it is killed, torn into small pieces and eaten

This bird hunts for small reptiles such as lizards, geckos and bush snakes. The Gabar Goshawk strikes poisonous snakes on the head with one fatal blow which kills the snake instantly. There have been cases were this bird has been killed by a snake while hunting. Some birds have been blinded by Cobra venom.

The Melierax gabar attacks smaller birds in flight and uses its sharp claws to break the bird's neck. Some of the birds are attacked in their nests while others are killed on the ground. The Gabar Goshawk eats the eggs of its victim.

The diet includes small mammals such as rabbits, field mice and other rodents. Rodents are usually taken from the ground and killed using the sharp claws. The Gabar Goshawk uses its hard bill to tear up the flesh.

This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten .

Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...

The Gabar Goshawk is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 2 to 4 eggs and they are coloured blue.

The nest is built high up in the tree canopy and is protected from predators by branches and the dense green foligae.

The Gabar Goshawk is mainly found in light and densely wooded forests, where there are Mopane trees.

The bird is found in the arid and semi-arid regions of Southern Africa and it can withstand high day and night temperatures

The bird is an urban dweller as well, being at home in parks, gardens and in old vacated buildings
Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...

The Gabar Goshawk is mainly seen singly or in pairs in the wild.

It is also seen in flocks
carper, vanderschelden, crs, jconceicao, siggi, Merlin, uleko has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To cuckooroller: Thankspvs 1 11-07 14:00
To vanderschelden: Bedanktpvs 1 11-07 08:58
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Critiques [Translate]

Yes, it is a Gabar, in spite of the expected greyishness of the upper breast not being evident. Nothing else fits with a dark iris, beak and sere color, white trailing wing edge, and in particular, the primary extension along the rectrices that are themselves with transverse barring of a color and number that brook no confusion as to the true identity of the bird.

mooie foto Paul,
prachtige capture hier, uitstekende kwaliteit zoal we dat van je gewend zijn, goed werjk, prettig weekend,
groet Jaap

Hallo Paul,
De reis was misschien wat kort maar je hebt wel speciale dieren gespot en gefotografeerd.
Heb de identificatie proberen te verifiëren aan de hand van de KNP map maar ik denk dat de tekening weer niet accuraat genoeg is.
Maar goed, 'cuckooroller' is de specialist en ik geloof hem.
Bijzondere foto van een bijzondere vogel.
Bedankt
Annick

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 523 W: 0 N: 920] (3543)
  • [2008-11-07 9:18]

Hello Paul,

There are so fine colors in your photo. Not only that the colors are well rendered but there is a very fine match between bird's plumage and the background.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2386 W: 94 N: 5517] (17564)
  • [2008-11-07 10:50]

Hallo Paul,
Erg mooie opname van deze Gabarhavik. (De Afrikaanse naam is veel mooier). Ideaal om zo iemand als Steve op de achterhand te hebben die de moeilijke gevallen altijd weer weet te benoemen. En hij heeft alweer gelijk.
Hoewel de havik dicht in de takken zit, loopt er gelukkig geen tak voor langs. Erg goede scherpte en mooie natuurlijke kleuren. Knappe compositie.
Goed weekend,
Peter

Hello Paul,

Great capture,
Nice colours with excellent focus.
Good composition.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2908 W: 34 N: 8623] (32138)
  • [2008-11-07 11:35]

Hi Paul. We can see the huge feet and claws thid fine looking bird has. with its large dark eye. You have taken this with fine detail in the feathers with natural colours. well done TFS, Interesting notes too.
Nick..

Have a good weekend.

Hi Paul,
this bird is very noble and sitting there in a good pose for the shot. Excellent sharpness, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1373 W: 56 N: 4716] (16222)
  • [2008-11-07 14:21]

Hello Paul,
Really beautiful sharp shot of this Goshawk. The colours, light and composition is great!
Very well done,
Siggi

Paul: It's rare to see a good shot of this species, and this is very nice. The lighting is very good, and I not that you were pushing the limits with shutter speed, particularly with a running engine! Excellent result from an opportunisitic "grab" shot.
Regards, Nigel.

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2008-11-09 10:31]

Hello Paul, great capture of this fantastic bird, great exposure, lovely composition and a great result! Thanks!

Mario

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2991 W: 162 N: 949] (2787)
  • [2008-11-12 9:18]

Hej Paul,
What a superb capture of this beautiful bird of prey! I love its colours and your capture is very sharp. A very fine background too.
TFS and cheers, Ulla

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