The Eurasian goshawk is a crow-sized hawk of the forests of Europe and northern Asia, long prized in . It isn't native to the United States: North American goshawks were split off in 2023 as a separate species, the American goshawk.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Males are 18–25 in (46–63 cm) long, females 23–27 in (58–69 cm), with a wingspan of 35–50 in (89–127 cm). Adults are blue-gray to brownish-gray above with a bold white eyebrow and finely barred pale underparts; eyes are usually orange. Young birds are brown and streaked, with pale yellow eyes.
Look-alikes
American GoshawkAstur atricapillus
Adult American Goshawks have red eyes, a blacker head, and gray underparts with fine, messy vermiculation that can look solid gray from a distance; Eurasian adults usually have orange eyes and clearer barring.
Why they get mixed upThey were treated as one species until 2023.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Forests
- Woodland edges
- City parks
- Range
- Across Europe (except Ireland and Iceland), Russia, northern Asia, and Japan. It is not native to the US; only rare strays have been recorded in Alaska and Newfoundland (Canada).
- Seasonal presence
- Mostly resident, but birds from colder northern areas move south in winter.
Behavior
- Diet
- Mostly birds such as crows and their relatives, pigeons, thrushes, and pheasants, plus squirrels, rabbits, and hares. More than 500 prey species have been recorded.
- Activity
- Hunts from a hidden perch, then dashes low and fast through cover. It can even chase prey on foot into thickets.
Life cycle
- Nest
- A large stick nest high in a tall, mature tree, usually 30–80 ft (9–25 m) up.
- Clutch size
- Usually 2–4 eggs
- Incubation
- 28–37 days, mostly by the female.
- Fledging
- Young leave the nest at about 35–46 days old.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
- Status
- Pesticides such as DDT and heavy persecution caused steep declines in parts of Europe in the 20th century.
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- The scientific name gentilis means "noble," because in medieval Europe only nobles were allowed to fly goshawks.
- "Goshawk" comes from Old English for "goose hawk," though its usual falconry quarry was rabbits, pheasants, partridges, and ducks.
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