Photo: Louis Agassiz Fuertes / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
African Harrier-Hawk
Polyboroides typus
African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus) — Birds of Prey of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 633 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Polyboroides
- Species typus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 633 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Harrier-Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The African Harrier-Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 633 g, with a wing length of about 44.3 cm and a tail of around 29 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 14.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Harrier-Hawk?
The African Harrier-Hawk is a large bird that weighs around 633 g.
Where does the African Harrier-Hawk live?
The African Harrier-Hawk is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the African Harrier-Hawk belong to?
The African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the African Harrier-Hawk eat?
The African Harrier-Hawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the African Harrier-Hawk migrate?
The African Harrier-Hawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the African Harrier-Hawk endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the African Harrier-Hawk make?
1 real field recording of the African Harrier-Hawk can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Harrier-Hawk's range?
The African Harrier-Hawk has a mapped global range of about 14.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.