The northern goshawk is the largest accipiter. Accipiters are hawks with short, rounded wings and long tails. A goshawk lives in forests, and it is hard to see in the woods.
A goshawk is about 55 to 61 centimeters (22 to 24 inches) long. Its wings stretch about 1 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) from tip to tip. A female is a little bigger than a male.
An adult goshawk has red eyes, yellow feet and a gray back. A young goshawk is brown. Young goshawks have yellow eyes, and the eyes turn red as they become adults. A white stripe over each eye looks like an eyebrow.
A goshawk's long tail and short, broad wings suit it for flying through thick forest. Its short wings let it speed up quickly. The tail is long and rounded, and the goshawk uses it to steer among the trees.
A goshawk can weave in and out of trees while flying fast. It flies with a few flaps and then a glide. The tail has dark bands across it.
A goshawk perches in a tree, which means it sits on a branch, and it waits and looks for prey from there. Prey is an animal that a hunter eats. A goshawk eats birds and small animals such as squirrels, rabbits and hares.
In late winter and spring, goshawks fly a sky-dance display high over the trees. A goshawk builds a nest of sticks high in a tree. A pair often uses the same nest again in later years.
A goshawk lays about two to four eggs. The eggs hatch about one month after they are laid. At about 34 to 35 days old, young goshawks begin to move onto branches near the nest. Their parents feed them until they are about 70 days old.
Words to know
- accipiters: forest hawk group
- perches: sits and waits
- prey: food animal
- weave: twist in, out
The short version
The northern goshawk is a large hawk of forests in North America and Eurasia. It is the largest accipiter, a hawk with short, rounded wings and a long tail. It perches in a tree and looks for prey, such as birds, squirrels and rabbits.
Quick facts
- A goshawk is about 55 to 61 centimeters (22 to 24 inches) long.
- A goshawk's wings stretch about 1 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) from tip to tip.
- A goshawk lays about two to four eggs, and they hatch about one month after they are laid.
- Goshawk parents feed their young until the young are about 70 days old.
- Goshawks eat birds and small animals such as squirrels, rabbits and hares.
What does a goshawk eat?
Goshawks eat birds and small animals such as squirrels, rabbits and hares. A goshawk perches in a tree and waits and looks for prey.
How big is a northern goshawk?
A goshawk is about 55 to 61 centimeters (22 to 24 inches) long. Its wings stretch about 1 to 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet) from tip to tip. A female goshawk is a little bigger than a male.
