[4] In the western subspecies, adults are also dark above, but have a grayish throat and barring mixed with rufous on the underparts.

It is given when the bird is perched, especially at dawn, and in flight, and is used as a contact call between mates, in courtship, and for territorial advertising.

It inhabits low-altitude[5] forests, especially rainforests and dense second growth, often near rivers and swamps, including mangroves.

The nest is placed 6 to 20 meters above the ground in the main fork or on a side branch of a large tree, hidden by leaves or vines.

It takes large insects more regularly than the African goshawk, and also eats lizards, earthworms, and small mammals and birds.

[4] The two subspecies groups may be considered separate species, in which case the western one is called Aerospiza macroscelides, the West African goshawk.

More commonly, though, the present species is lumped with the African goshawk[4] because the groups intergrade and vary widely within themselves and separated populations resemble each other.

[5][7] Des Murs and Verreaux named this species after Alphonse Toussenel in the hope of encouraging him to move toward serious studies of natural history.