🦅 Northern goshawk vs Osprey 🦅
The northern goshawk and the osprey are about the same size. The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the northern goshawk.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🦅 Northern goshawk | 🦅 Osprey |
|---|---|---|
| Size They are about the same size. | 22 to 24 in55 to 61 cm1 | 22 to 23 in55 to 58 cm2 |
| Top speed Neither has a checked number yet. | no checked number yet | no checked number yet |
| Weight The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the northern goshawk. | 1.4 to 3 lb630 g to 1.4 kg1 | 2.6 to 4.4 lb1.2 to 2 kg2 |
| Lives The osprey usually lives about twice as long as the northern goshawk. | 11 years11 years1 | 25 years25 years2 |
| Eats The northern goshawk eats meat; the osprey eats fish. | birds, mammals, reptiles and insects | almost only fish |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | mountain and lowland forests across North America and Eurasia | shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world |
Which one? Northern goshawk or osprey
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the northern goshawk or the osprey yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed. Our face-off books compare real numbers, and nobody gets hurt.
10 things to know about Northern goshawk vs Osprey
- The northern goshawk: A forest hawk with a long tail and broad wings.
- The osprey: A fish-eating bird of prey that lives near water around the world.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are birds.
- The northern goshawk and the osprey are about the same size: 1 against 2.
- The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the northern goshawk. That is 1 for the northern goshawk and 2 for the osprey.
- The osprey usually lives about twice as long as the northern goshawk. Usual lifespans: 1 for the northern goshawk and 2 for the osprey.
- The northern goshawk eats birds, mammals, reptiles and insects. The osprey eats almost only fish.
- The northern goshawk lives in mountain and lowland forests across North America and Eurasia. The osprey lives in shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
- The northern goshawk: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 3
- The osprey: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 4
Wow facts
🦅 Northern goshawk
- A northern goshawk lives in forests in North America and Eurasia.
- Some move to warmer places in winter.
- Females are a little bigger than males.
🦅 Osprey
- An osprey eats almost only fish.
- It lives near water almost everywhere in the world.
- Its wings are wider than a grown-up is tall.
Questions kids ask about Northern goshawk and Osprey
Which is bigger, northern goshawk or osprey?
The northern goshawk and the osprey are about the same size: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, northern goshawk or osprey?
The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the northern goshawk. That is 1 for the northern goshawk and 2 for the osprey.
Which lives longer, northern goshawk or osprey?
The osprey usually lives about twice as long as the northern goshawk. Usual lifespans: 1 for the northern goshawk and 2 for the osprey.
What do northern goshawk and osprey eat?
The northern goshawk eats birds, mammals, reptiles and insects. The osprey eats almost only fish.
Where do northern goshawk and osprey live?
The northern goshawk lives in mountain and lowland forests across North America and Eurasia. The osprey lives in shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, northern goshawk or osprey?
We never show fights, because a fight is not a fair way to compare animals. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. What we can compare is how big, how heavy, how fast, how long they live and what they eat, as above.
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/northern-goshawk-vs-osprey
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Accipiter gentilis (northern goshawk), checked 10 November 2026.
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Pandion haliaetus (osprey), checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.