Goshawk
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 Goshawk by Louis Agassiz Fuertes
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| Accipiter gentilis (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis; from OE. góshafoc 'goose-hawk') is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.
It is a widespread species that inhabits the temperate parts of the northern hemisphere. In North America, it is called the Northern Goshawk. It is mainly resident, but birds from colder regions of north Asia and Canada migrate south for the winter.
This species nests in trees, building a new nest each year. It hunts birds and mammals in woodland, relying on surprise as it flies from a perch or hedge-hops to catch its prey unaware. It takes animals up to the size of hares and pheasant. Its call is a fierce screech.
The goshawk is a raptor with short broad wings and a long tail, both adaptations to manoeuvring through trees. The male is blue-grey above and barred grey below, 49-56 cm long with a 93-105 cm (37"-41") wingspan. The much larger female is 58-64 cm long with a 108-127 cm (42"-50") wingspan, slate grey above grey below. The juvenile is brown above and barred brown below. The flight is a characteristic "slow flap – slow flap – straight glide".
In Eurasia, the male is confusable with a female Sparrowhawk, but is larger, much bulkier and has relatively longer wings. In spring, he has a spectacular roller-coaster display, and this is the best time to see this secretive forest bird.
In Britain the Goshawk became extinct in the 19th century because of specimen collectors and persecution by gamekeepers, but in recent years it has come back by immigration from Europe, escaped falconry birds, and deliberate releases.
[edit] Trivia
- The goshawk features on the crest of Goss crested china.
- Local buzzards, mis-identified as goshawks, originated the name of Azores Islands, from Portuguese "açores".
[edit] References and further reading
- BirdLife International (2004). Accipiter gentilis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Vinicombe, Keith (2005) Getting to grips with Goshawks Birdwatch 153:29-33 (a discussion of Goshawk identification)
[edit] External links
- Northern Goshawk Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Goshawk - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Northern Goshawk Information - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- link to call page
- Read Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Northern Goshawks
- Goshawk videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Picture of Northern & European Goshawk chicks and other Accipiters
- Nature writer recounts goshawk pair's fierce defense of their nesting territory
- Photo of Northern Goshawk
