Northern Goshawk

About Northern Goshawk

• The Northern Goshawk  is the largest species of true accipiter hawk.
• Scientific name: Its scientific name is Accipiter gentilis.
• Habitat: It inhabits mature forests, particularly coniferous woodlands, and favors areas near clearings and forest edges.
• Distribution: It is found across large parts of Europe and Asia, as well as in some regions of North America.
  • Distribution in India: There is no recorded sighting of the Northern Goshawk in present-day Punjab or Haryana.
    • The closest sightings are in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan.
    • It is locally known as Baaz or Baaj.
  • Importance in India: It is a state bird of Punjab.
    • It is associated with Guru Gobind Singh, who is traditionally depicted with a hawk.
    • The bird represents freedom, courage, sovereignty and the warrior spirit of the Khalsa.
• Characteristics:
  • Appearance:
    • It is a stocky hawk with a broad body, short wedge-shaped tail, and long, rounded wings.
    • The neck, breast, belly, sides, and underwings are covered with dense gray bars.
    • Adults have a dark crown, slate-gray back and wings, and a noticeable speckled eyebrow behind the bright red eye.
    • Juveniles have golden eyes and mottled brown feathers on the head, back, and wings.
    • Their underside is buff-colored with heavy dark streaks.
    • At all ages, the underside of the tail has thick black-and-white bands.
  • Diet: It prey upon medium-sized, ground-dwelling birds and mammals as large as hares.
  • Behaviour: They forage low in deep woodlands, and hunt birds in ambush attacks, either in mid-air or from their perches.
    • They fly low and fast while searching for prey. They chase smaller birds and kill them mid-air with their talons.
    • Migration: These hawks are partial migrants, usually migrating from September to November and returning from February to April.
    • They are active during the day and are usually seen alone or in pairs.
    • They are highly territorial and defend their home ranges through display flights.
• Threat: The main threat is the loss and degradation of mature and old-growth forest habitats.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC)