Goshawk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northern Goshawk |
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| Juvenile (left) and adult by Louis Agassiz Fuertes | |
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Falconiformes (or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
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A. gentilis
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| Accipiter gentilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Accipiter gentilis albidus |
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| Range map of Goshawk yellow: breeding green: year-round blue: wintering. |
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The Northern Goshawk is a cool, medium-sized bird of prey. It belongs to the Accipitridae family. This family also includes other awesome birds like eagles and buzzards. Its scientific name is Accipiter gentilis. The name "goshawk" comes from an old English word meaning "goose-hawk."
You can find Northern Goshawks in many temperate parts of the northern hemisphere. In places like Europe and North America, people often just call it the "Goshawk." Most of these birds stay in one place all year. But some goshawks from very cold areas fly south for the winter.
A famous scientist named Carl Linnaeus first described this bird. He gave it its scientific name in 1758.
The Northern Goshawk is so special it's even on the flag of the Azores islands! The islands got their name from the Portuguese word for goshawk, açor. Early explorers thought the birds they saw there were goshawks. Later, they found out these birds were actually kites or Common Buzzards.
Contents
What Does a Goshawk Look Like?
The Northern Goshawk is the biggest bird in its group, called Accipiter. It has short, wide wings and a long tail. These features help it fly and turn easily through thick forests. This is where it lives and builds its nests.
Most goshawks are blue-grey on top and have grey or white stripes underneath. However, some Asian goshawks can be almost all white or nearly black on top. Adult goshawks always have a clear white stripe above their eyes.
Male goshawks are about 49 to 57 centimeters (19 to 22 inches) long. Their wingspan is about 93 to 105 centimeters (37 to 41 inches). Female goshawks are much bigger. They are 58 to 64 centimeters (23 to 25 inches) long. Their wingspan can be 108 to 127 centimeters (43 to 50 inches).
Smaller male goshawks can weigh around 630 grams (1.4 pounds). Larger female goshawks can weigh up to 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds). Young goshawks are brown on top and have brown stripes underneath. When they fly, they often do a special "five slow flaps – straight glide" movement.
Sometimes, in Eurasia, a male goshawk might be mistaken for a female Sparrowhawk. But the goshawk is bigger and has longer wings. In North America, young goshawks can look like Cooper's Hawks. Goshawks are usually larger, but some small male goshawks are the same size as large female Cooper's Hawks. So, you need to look at their feathers and body shape to tell them apart. The Sharp-shinned Hawk in North America is much smaller.
What Do Goshawks Eat and How Do They Hunt?
Northern Goshawks hunt other birds and small animals in forests. They are very fast and can fly quickly through dense trees. They often surprise their prey by flying from a hidden spot or by "hedge-hopping." This means they fly low over bushes to stay hidden.
Like most birds of prey, goshawks will eat whatever food they can find. Their main meals are usually small animals like rodents and birds. In North America, they often hunt Ruffed Grouse. They also eat pigeons and doves, and many passerines (small birds). This includes starlings and crows.
Sometimes, they hunt larger birds like Mallard ducks. Goshawks usually hunt prey smaller than themselves. But they can also catch much larger animals. These can include snowshoe hares and jack rabbits. They even sometimes hunt smaller raptors, like the American Kestrel.
Goshawk Life Cycle and Behavior
In the spring, during their breeding season, Northern Goshawks put on an amazing "rollercoaster" flight show. This is the best time to spot these shy forest birds. You might also hear their call, which sounds a bit like a gull.
Adult goshawks return to their nesting areas in March or April. They start laying eggs in April or May. Their nesting spots are almost always in areas with large, old trees. These trees are perfect for building their nests.
A female goshawk usually lays 2 to 4 eggs, but sometimes it can be 1 to 5 eggs. Each egg is about 59 by 45 millimeters (2.3 by 1.8 inches) and weighs around 60 grams (2.1 ounces). The eggs hatch after about 28 to 38 days.
The young goshawks leave the nest when they are about 35 days old. They start trying to fly about 10 days after that. Young goshawks might stay with their parents for up to a year. Adult goshawks protect their nests very fiercely. They will even chase away humans who get too close! This means their eggs and young have very few enemies.
Sometimes, Horned Owls or large Buteo hawks might attack goshawks. But often, these larger birds will back down or even be killed by the aggressive goshawk.
Goshawk Status and Conservation
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Northern Goshawks disappeared in the 1800s. This happened because people collected their eggs and feathers, and gamekeepers hunted them. But in recent years, they have returned! Some came from other parts of Europe, some were escaped falconry birds, and some were released on purpose.
Today, many goshawks live in Kielder Forest in Northumberland, which is the biggest forest in Britain. The biggest danger to Northern Goshawks around the world is the clearing of forests. Goshawks and the animals they hunt both need these forests to survive. For example, the Medicine Bow National Forest is threatened by both forest clearing and ATV riding.
John James Audubon drew the Northern Goshawk in his famous book, Birds of America. He showed an adult and a young goshawk with a Stanley Hawk (now known as Cooper's Hawk). Another artist, William Lewin, also drew the Northern Goshawk in his book, Birds of Great Britain and their Eggs, in 1789.
Goshawks in Falconry
The name "goshawk" comes from an old English word meaning "goose hawk." This might make you think they were used to hunt geese. But it seems the name was first used for the Peregrine Falcon, which is a bird that falconers would use to hunt geese.
Northern Goshawks are very popular birds for falconry. Falconry is the sport of hunting with trained birds of prey. "Finnish goshawks" are highly valued. These are goshawks from Finland, or their descendants. They are prized because they are bigger and stronger than goshawks from western Europe.
In the Middle Ages, sparrow hawks were valued based on how much they looked like a goshawk. The more a sparrow hawk resembled a goshawk in size, strength, and beauty, the more money it could be sold for.
