Details
Astur gentilis
Eurasian goshawk is a powerful forest hawk that pursues birds and mammals through trees at high speed. Although a forest raptor, it increasingly breeds near some towns and suburbs.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits forests, mountain woods, and edges across Eurasia and North America, also hunting in openings. Main habitat types in this guide are forest, mountain.
Typical wingspan 98-127 cm, weight 600 g-2.2 kg. Broad wings, a long tail, gray upperparts, and fine barred underparts are typical.
It is diurnal and often seen in pairs. It flies low through woodland and accelerates suddenly after prey.
It is carnivorous. Pigeons, corvids, gamebirds, squirrels, and hares are common prey.
Pairs build stick nests in large trees and defend nesting territories.
Although still widespread in places, it remains sensitive to habitat change. Although a forest raptor, it increasingly breeds near some towns and suburbs.
