| Northern Goshawk | |
|---|---|
 female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Genus: | Accipiter |
| Species: | Accipiter gentilis |
The Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is a bird of prey found in Eurasia and North America.
Subspecies[]
Accipiter gentilis has 10 subspecies:
- A. g. gentilis
- A. g. marginatus
- A. g. arrigonii
- A. g. buteoides
- A. g. albidus
- A. g. schvendovwi
- A. g. fujiyamae
- A. g. atricapillus
- A. g. laingi
- A. g. apache
Description[]
| Measurements | |
|---|---|
| Length: | 48-62 cm (19-24 in) |
| Weight: | ♀: 820-2054 g (29-72 oz)
♂: 517-1110 g (18-39 oz) |
| Wingspan: | 95-125 cm (37-49 in) |
The Goshawk looks like a large Sparrowhawk. The female is larger than the male and has gray-brown upperparts, while the male has dark gray upperparts. Both have whitish, black-barred underparts, a black bill with a yellow cere and yellow legs with strong talons. Like sparrowhawks, goshawks have short wings and long tail, but the goshawk's wingtip is more pointed than the sparrowhawk's.
Behavior[]
Feeding[]
Goshawks mainly hunt birds like jays, ducks and pheasants, along with mammals like hares, rabbits and mice. They hunt their prey predominantly from the ground-level flight or from the high seat in a short, fast and very agile pursuit flight directly on the ground or in the ground-level airspace. Natural structures such as hedges, trees and also houses in settlement areas are used very skillfully for a covered approach. More rarely, birds are hunted down from high circles in the open air space or near the ground. In spring and summer, Northern Goshawks systematically search for nests in higher vegetation and on trees and thus prey on numerous nest-young birds. In the case of smaller bird species, the whole nest with its contents is often grasped, the empty nests can then often be found at the plucking places.
The prey is grasped with the feet and killed. The talons of the very strong first and second toes are "injected" into the prey until it stops moving. In conjunction with the relatively long legs, this killing method enables the Northern Goshawk to use comparatively large and well-fortified prey.
Breeding and Nesting[]
Northern Goshawks build large, voluminous nests (clumps) exclusively on trees. The minimum age of the trees used for nest building is around 60 years. Within larger forest areas, the Northern Goshawk prefers old wood populations with almost 100% crown closure; these populations are often very dark in summer near the ground due to the low incidence of light. The dominant trees of a stand are usually used for building the nest, preferably on a small aisle or on a path. The clumps are often used for years, usually alternating with other clumps within the breeding area.
At the beginning of courtship, the eyrie (nest) chosen for brood is built up with green branches; this greening is continued into the late nestling age. Northern Goshawks make an annual brood. In Central Europe, the eggs are laid mostly in mid-March to mid-April, and the clutch size is one to five, usually two to four eggs. The eggs are unmarked and pale green to pale blue. The young birds hatch after a breeding period of 37 to 39 days. Compared to other species of birds of prey (e.g. the true eagles of the genus Aquila, buzzards or harriers), nesting Northern Goshawks are very peaceful with one another, and losses due to cainism (killing of siblings) are therefore, very rare. The young birds fledge at around 40–45 days. They leave their parents' territory three to six weeks after leaving.
Territoriality[]
Northern Goshawks are monogamous and strictly territorial, marking their territory by frequently repeated calls and sightseeing flights. During these sightseeing flights, the wings are flapped slowly downwards and upwards again in a straight flight. If other conspecific individuals intrude into the area, an attempt is first made to drive away the intruder by calling, then by approaching and calling further. In contrast to other birds of prey, direct physical contact attacks on Northern Goshawks in the context of territorial disputes are apparently only carried out as a last resort.
Distribution and Habitat[]
The Northern Goshawk is widespread in Europe, Asia and North America. It inhabits mainly coniferous and deciduous forests, preferring to nest in the forest, which is rich in old and tall trees, has medium light and small meadows or edges nearby, for hunting.
The habitat requirements that are absolutely necessary for the occurrence of the Northern Goshawk are limited in Europe to trees that are suitable for the nest (more than 60 years old) and a sufficient supply of medium-sized birds and mammals. Therefore, they colonize forests of all types and sizes within their European range. The Northern Goshawk occurs here in large, closed forest areas as well as in the open cultural landscape, if there are at least individual field trees.
Distribution