Northern goshawk Facts
Northern goshawk Facts
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| Interesting Northern goshawk Facts: |
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| Northern goshawk can reach 18 to 27 inches in length and 1.1 to 4.85 pounds of weight. Females are larger than males. |
| Upper part of the body is covered with bluish-grey or brown plumage. Neck, throat and belly are light grey or white colored. Dark horizontal lines can be seen on the breast, while black vertical lines cover the throat. Goshawks have reddish-orange eyes with white stripe above them. |
| Goshawk has a wingspan of 35 to 50 inches. Short and broad wings and long tail facilitate maneuvering among dense vegetation when goshawk chases its prey. |
| When goshawk flies, it combines active flying with gliding through the air. It can reach speed of 61 miles per hour. |
| Goshawk is diurnal animal (active during the day). |
| Goshawk is a carnivore (meat-eater). Its diet is based on medium or large-sized birds (such as grouse and crow), snowshoe hares and squirrels. Goshawk easily tears apart its prey thanks to curved beak and sharp claws. |
| Goshawk silently waits for the prey to appear and then rapidly descends toward it. Goshawk kills its prey using strong, constricted talons. |
| Goshawk is very persistent bird. It is able to chase the snowshoe hares 45 to 60 minutes until they enter open areas where goshawk can easily scoop them from the ground. |
| Goshawk is solitary bird except during the mating season which takes place during the spring (from March to April). |
| Goshawks perform impressive undulating flight and produce gull-like calls during the mating season. |
| Goshawks are monogamous birds (one pair mates for a lifetime). One pair occupies territory of 570 to 3500 hectares during the nesting season. |
| Goshawks build bowl-shaped nest made of twigs, bark and grass high in the trees. Female lays 1 to 5 bluish-white eggs from April to May. Only female is responsible for the incubation of eggs that lasts 35 to 38 days. Male provides her with food during that period. |
| Goshawks are very aggressive when they take care of their chicks. Female will attack all intruders (including humans) that can be found close to the nest. |
| Young birds are ready to leave the nest 34 to 41 days after birth, but they depend on their parents until they reach the age of 70 to 90 days. Goshawks reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 to 3 years. |
| Goshawk can survive up to 19 years in the wild. |
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