FishCommonVisible while snorkeling

Freckled hawkfish

Paracirrhites forsteri

It sits freckle-faced on a coral head like a sentry in a tower – the reef's most familiar little ambush hunter.

Photo: iNaturalist – (c) Jane Kempler & Andrew Goldby Freelance, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Jane Kempler & Andrew Goldby Freelance

The freckled hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) is named after its face: tiny reddish-brown spots cover its head and forebody, as if it really had freckles. Body colour varies surprisingly between individuals – from yellowish brown through dark red to almost black – but the pale lengthwise band on the rear body and the freckled face always give it away. Small tufts called cirri sit at the tips of its dorsal spines, which gave the family its scientific name.

It is a textbook ambush hunter: it spends most of the day perched on top of a cauliflower or hood coral, gripping the branches with its thickened pectoral fins. From there it watches the neighbourhood and strikes in a flash at small fish and crustaceans passing by – among hawkfish it is one of the most dedicated fish-eaters. A male's territory holds several females in a harem, and he patrols his favourite lookout points several times a day like a lord inspecting his castle.

Around Hurghada you meet it on practically every reef, often from just 1–2 metres of depth, so it is a superb species to watch while snorkeling. Let its eyes guide you: even while sitting, the hawkfish keeps swivelling them to track your movements. Get too close and it hops to the next coral head – only to return to the very same perch a few minutes later.

Did you know?

Hawkfish start life as females, and the largest individual turns male to lead the harem. But if a male "collects" a harem too big to defend, one of his females may change into a male herself and carve off a piece of the kingdom.

Where can you meet it?

It is at home in every Hurghada coral garden: you see it at every turn on the shallow plateaus of the Giftun Islands, the coral heads of El Fanadir and the reefs of Gota Abu Ramada and Abu Hashish.

Frequently asked questions

Because it is his sentry post: hawkfish have no swim bladder, so instead of energy-costly hovering they perch on a good lookout and strike from there. Each individual has several favourite coral heads that it patrols daily.

There are two sure signs: the tiny reddish-brown dots on its head – the "freckles" – and the characteristic pose, propped on its pectoral fins on top of a coral. If a spotty-faced fish is sitting there watching you, you have found the freckled hawkfish.

Yes, it is one of the most rewarding snorkeling species: it perches on coral heads of the shallow reef tops, often barely a metre below the surface. Float motionless over the coral garden and you will soon spot the "sitting" fish.