Birds of Prey
Goshawk
The
goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is North America’s largest accipiter
(50-60 cm tall). They have grey underparts, a light white stripe over the eye and five finger-like wing tip
feathers (emarginate primaries).
The
large, bulky stick nest (eyrie) of goshawks is usually built by the tiercel and located
in a tall tree within the forest. The
nest may be reused in subsequent years. Two
or three eggs are laid in mid-June. The
young birds (eyasses) are fed lemmings, squirrels, hares and grouse by both parents and
learn to fly when they are 45 days old.
Nest
success as well as the distance traveled south every winter seems to reflect
prey abundance. During fall, most goshawks leave the NWT and migrate south to
over-winter in southern Canada and the USA.
Some however remain, making the goshawk one of the few raptor species
resident in the NWT throughout the year.
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