Black sparrowhawk
| Black sparrowhawk | |
|---|---|
| Adult females of the light and dark morphs respectively | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Genus: | Astur |
| Species: | A. melanoleucus |
| Binomial name | |
| Astur melanoleucus (Smith, A, 1830) | |
| Subspecies | |
| |
| global range Year-Round Range Summer Range Winter Range | |
The black sparrowhawk (Astur melanoleucus), sometimes known as the black goshawk or great sparrowhawk, is a bird of prey belonging to the family Accipitridae. It was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter. It occurs mainly in forest and non-desert areas south of the Sahara, particularly where there are large trees suitable for nesting; favored habitat includes suburban and human-altered landscapes. It preys predominantly on birds of moderate size, such as pigeons and doves, in suburban areas.