Northern Goshawk

The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is the largest North American member of the genus Accipiter, or "true hawks." There are 3 subspecies of goshawk, the Apache (A. g. apache) found in the mountains of Southern Arizona, the Queen Charlotte (A. g. laingi) found on the islands off the coast of British Columbia between Vancouver Island and Alaska, and the A. g. atricapilluus which is found throughout the rest of North America.

An adult goshawk is 21-26 inches long with a wing span of 40-46 inches. Females are usually larger than males. It wings and back are blue-gray and its underparts are white with fine black barring. The undertail coverts are white and fluffy, and quite noticeable in the field. The top of its head, called the crown, is dark and separated from the blue-gray back by a white eyebrow that flares behind its deep red eye. Like other Accipiters, the goshawk is a forest-dwelling raptor (a flesh eating bird or "bird of prey"). Its sharp talons and curved bill are excellent tools for holding prey and tearing flesh It has broad, stocky wings and a long tail. The broad wings allow the goshawk to accelerate and decelerate quickly, and along with its long tail allow it great maneuverability among the trees of the forest.

As a "bird of prey" the goshawk hunts a variety of medium to large-sized birds and mammals ranging from forest birds, ducks, and gulls to ground squirrels and snowshoe hares. Prey is taken to a perch or log, where the goshawk prepares its food first by plucking feathers or fur and sometimes removing entrails. These perches or logs are called "plucking posts" and are used by researchers to identify goshawk presence, prey being taken and nest locations. Goshawks usually nest in the tops of old growth forest trees and use the same areas for nesting year after year although not necessarily the same nest. The height of the nest plus the canopy cover of the tree give the goshawks protection from the elements as well as from unwelcome neighbors.

Females will leg eggs, usually two between early April and mid-July. The female broods and rears the young, while the male hunts for food. The eggs usually hatch between late May and late August. Females are known to defend their nest fiercely upon hatching of their eggs. Typical goshawk territories range from 0.2-4.3 square miles during the breeding season.

The goshawk can be found in forests of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada, the Pacific Northwest, southeast and central portions Alaska, most of Canada, and the northeastern United States. During the winter its range extends to encompass almost all of the Continental United States and Canada - only the southeast and south central U.S. and very northern portions of Canada are excluded.

Learn More

Lawsuit Filed to Add Northern Goshawk to Endangered Species List [PCA Press Release, February 26, 1999]

Goshawk Information Clearinghouse