Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Ovambo Sparrowhawk
Accipiter ovampensis
Ovambo Sparrowhawk (Accipiter ovampensis) — 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 Ovambo Sparrowhawk (Accipiter ovampensis) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 195 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 Accipiter
- Species ovampensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 195 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk (Accipiter ovampensis) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Senegal and Gambia to Ethiopia s to n South Africa.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 195 g, with a wing length of about 22.2 cm and a tail of around 15.5 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 7.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Ovambo Sparrowhawk?
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk is a large bird that weighs around 195 g.
Where does the Ovambo Sparrowhawk live?
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk is found across Africa with a range covering AF Senegal and Gambia to Ethiopia s to n South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Ovambo Sparrowhawk belong to?
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk (Accipiter ovampensis) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Ovambo Sparrowhawk eat?
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Ovambo Sparrowhawk migrate?
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Ovambo Sparrowhawk 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 Ovambo Sparrowhawk make?
1 real field recording of the Ovambo Sparrowhawk — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Ovambo Sparrowhawk's range?
The Ovambo Sparrowhawk has a mapped global range of about 7.3 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.