are laid from September to December, with a peak in October. The eggs are incubated by both the male and the female for about 31–32 days, although the female will perform at least three quarters of the incubation. The male regularly brings food to the incubating female and he continues to do so as she takes responsibility for the brooding of the chicks, The male also defends the nest from any other birds which approach it and vigorously chases them away, very vigorously if the intruding bird is another bird of prey. The young fledge at about 25–27 days old, remaining on their parents' territory for up to a year. In other parts of Africa breeding has been recorded from March to April in north-eastern Africa and from October to November in western Kenya. Food The little sparrowhawk is a bird hunter, waiting in cover the pursuing prey in a short dash and capturing it in flight. The main prey is small birds up to the size of a thrush or a dove. Bats may also be caught and some prey is taken from the ground, including frogs, lizards and rodents. Larger insects and termites are also taken. Predation The recorded predators of adult little sparrowhawks include the gabar goshawk (Micronisus gabar), while chicks have sometimes been predated by lizard buzzards (Kaupifalco monogrammicus). Taxonomic notes The little sparrowhawk forms a superspecies with the red-thighed sparrowhawk (Accipiter erythropus) and both species are part of the potential genus Tachyspiza which if Accipiter is accepted as paraphyletic is the name of the proposed genus for most of the species currently placed in Accipiter sensu lato. References External links Little sparrowhawk - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds little sparrowhawk Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa little sparrowhawk Taxonomy articles created by Polbot