Macheiramphus alcinus

This crepuscular hawk specialises in hunting bats and dusk and dawn and is definitely one of the most unusual raptors.

We first recorded this extraordinary hawk with David Letsoalo in April 2011 at the New Agatha plantation just south of Tzaneen. The two hawks breed here every year and on this occasion both the male and the female were close to their nest; as they were busy raising a small fledgling.

This must be the most reliable site for this species in South Africa and I went back in December 2012 to see them again and improve on my photographs.