No.36 Northern Goshawk

The goshawk is a medium-sized bird that belongs to the hawk family. In Japan, the word “hawk” usually refers to the goshawk.
The total length of a goshawk is about 50 cm, and the female is about 60 cm, with a wingspan of about 100-130 cm. Their relatively small bodies are suitable for flight in forests, but they have long tail feathers that are believed to help them brake and change direction in the air. The back of adult birds is gray; this individual is a young bird and has brownish body feathers throughout.

It is widely distributed from North Africa to Eurasia and North America. In Japan, it is found as a resident bird in areas north of Kyushu. Some are migratory birds that migrate south during the winter. The goshawk has a high flight capacity and preys mainly on small and medium-sized birds and small mammals. They feed mainly on doves, especially in urban areas, and have been observed to move into urban areas as well. Goshawks are at the top of the food chain and require a natural environment with abundant small animals, but they are also adapting to urban areas by preying on doves.