Kaupifalco monogrammicus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The lizard buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus), or lizard hawk, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only species placed in the genus Kaupifalco. It is native to Sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its name, it may be more closely related to the Accipiter hawks than the Buteo buzzards.
Molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed that the lizard buzzard is not closely related to Buteo buzzards but rather to Accipiter hawks. This extends to morphological associations, e.g. the lizard buzzard has pointed and fairly short wings. Despite the lizard buzzard inhabiting Africa, phylogenetic evidence indicates that its closest relatives are the two Microspizias hawks of Central and South America.
The lizard buzzard is a smallish stocky raptor with a total body length of 35–37 cm and a wingspan of about 79 cm. Males weigh 246 g, females 304 g on average. The upperparts, head and breast are grey. There is a vertical black line on the white throat, which distinguishes this species from all other raptors. The belly is white with fine dark barring. The underwings are white with dark tips. The tail is black with a white tip and a single white band. The eyes... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kampala | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 2 | Lusaka | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 3 | Harare | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 4 | Serrekunda | 🇬🇲 Gambia | |
| 5 | Freetown | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | |
| 6 | Abuja | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | |
| 7 | Accra | 🇬🇭 Ghana | |
| 8 | Dar es-Salaam | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Monrovia | 🇱🇷 Liberia | |
| 10 | Maputo | 🇲🇿 Mozambique |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pairi Daiza | 🇧🇪 Belgium | |
| 2 | Dullstroom Bird Of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lizard Buzzard sighting in Ruaha National Park on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 166th most-seen of the 276 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and September
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Lizard Buzzard in Ruaha National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, April, June and November–December, the lowest months. Those are among Ruaha National Park's driest months, with about 5 mm of rain a month against 180 mm in January.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lizard Buzzard sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
12th of 29
Of the 29 parks where we can rate Lizard Buzzard sightings, Ruaha National Park ranks 12th at about 10%. The best odds are in Kibale National Park (Uganda, about 30%), Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal, about 30%) and Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique, about 20%).
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Lizard Buzzard that you can see in Ruaha National Park (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Bateleur (about 60%), African Fish-Eagle (about 50%) and Tawny Eagle (about 50%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lizard Buzzard is recorded against all the birds logged in Ruaha National Park (22 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
