The bird's common name and Latin binomial commemorate the British explorer and colonial official Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer.

Previously, many taxonomists consider them all to be distinct, having different calls, different home ranges and slight variations in plumage.

The International Ornithological Congress also followed in 2022, but tentatively classified it as a subspecies of the augur buzzard.

Juvenile birds are pale rufous to white below with sparse streaking on the upper breast.

[3] In its restricted range it is found in mountains and adjacent savanna and grassland.