Northern Goshawk

Class: Birds

Order: Falconiformes

Family: Accipitridae

Weight: 630-1600 g

Height: About 50 cm

Body length: 55-61 cm

Coloration: The upper parts are uniformly colored, ranging from dark gray to blue-gray or brown-gray. It has a dark “cap” on its head. The tail is light gray with three to four dark bands, and the undertail is white. The belly and throat are light with dark horizontal stripes and speckles.

Age of sexual maturity: 1-3 years

Gestation period: 30-38 days

Lifespan: 10-15 years

Habitat: The northern goshawk is found in Europe, Central Asia, and the forested zones of North America.

Diet: Birds, mammals, invertebrates, medium and large reptiles (hares, squirrels, hazel grouse, ground squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, weasels, crows, pigeons, partridges, gulls, woodpeckers, pheasants, sparrows, etc.).

Did you know?

• The northern goshawk is also known as the chicken hawk, pigeon hawk, and duck hawk.
• The goshawk is featured on the flag of the Azores.
• The northern goshawk is listed in the Red Book of Moscow with a category 5 status, indicating it is a recovering species.