Grey Goshawk

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Grey Goshawk

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Accipiter
Species:	A. novaehollandiae

Binomial name

Accipiter novaehollandiae
(Gmelin, 1788)

The Grey Goshawk, Accipiter novaehollandiae, the white morph of which is also known as the White Goshawk, is a strongly built, medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

1 Identification
2 Range
3 Habitat
4 Food
5 Nesting
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Identification

Grey morph: pale grey above with dark wing-tips, white below with pale grey barring on breast. White morph: plumage entirely white. Fast flexible flight. Body length 40-55 cm, wingspan 70-110 cm. Weights of adults: male 350 g, female 680 g. Females are noticeably larger.

[edit] Range

The Grey Goshawk is found in northern, eastern and south-eastern Australia, Tasmania, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.

[edit] Habitat

Forests, tall woodlands and timbered watercourses.

[edit] Food

Mainly mammals such as rabbits, possums, and bats; also birds and other terrestrial vertebrates.

[edit] Nesting

Nests in tall trees on a platform of sticks and twigs with a central depression lined with green leaves. Clutch size usually 2-3. Incubation period is about 35 days, with chicks fledging about 35-40 days after hatching.

[edit] References

BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: Accipiter novaehollandiae. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/12/2006
Marchant, S.; & Higgins, P.J. (Eds). (1993). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Vol,2: Raptors to Lapwings. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553069-1