Goshawk - Female Kosh, Male Chuylyu
Goshawk.
The size is medium, about 1.5 times larger than a crow. Goshawks are the largest species of the genus Accipiter. Males usually weigh 630-1100 g, their length averages 55 cm, and their wingspan ranges from 98-104 cm. Females are slightly larger, weighing 860-1600 g, measuring about 61 cm in length, and having a wingspan of 105-115 cm. All hawks, including the goshawk, have distinctive white feather stripes above their eyes, giving the impression of white eyebrows. In the goshawk, these stripes are wider and longer than in other representatives of the genus and almost meet at the back of the head. The eye color of adult individuals is red or reddish-brown, while young individuals have bright yellow eyes.
The coloration of both males and females varies from bluish-gray to black. The back, head, and wing coverts are usually darker; the underside is light with distinct gray transverse mottling. The tail is light gray with three or four dark stripes. Young hawks have noticeably different coloration from adults: their upper parts, head, and outer wing parts are brown, and their breast is white with vertical brown stripes.
Flight is characterized by rapid flapping and gliding; they do not soar. They usually fly low over the ground, above bushes, and among trees.
Despite the significant size difference, they can easily be confused with the sparrowhawk, especially the male goshawk with the female sparrowhawk. Unlike the sparrowhawk, the goshawk has a relatively shorter, wider base, and slightly rounded tail, with wings that are broader in the area of the secondary flight feathers and, conversely, more pointed in the wingtip.
The diet is diverse, but mainly consists of medium-sized birds, rodents, and lagomorphs. Goshawks hunt birds, mammals, invertebrates, and medium to large reptiles. The prey can weigh up to half the weight of the predator. The diet of different populations varies and depends on the surrounding territory, but generally, they hunt hares, squirrels, and wild grouse. A total of up to 60 species of animals have been recorded as food. Among birds, pigeons, corvids, and grouse are most commonly caught; among mammals, voles, squirrels, hares, and muskrats.
A rare nesting migratory and wintering bird. It inhabits deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, both in plains and in mountains at heights up to 1500 m in Altai and up to 2300 m in Tien Shan. Since the goshawk winters in many areas, the spring migration is not clearly expressed. In non-nesting areas, they are observed from late February to mid-late April (Chokpak Pass, Pskem Ridge), in northern regions from March to late May.
Goshawks breed once a year, between early April and mid-June, with peak activity occurring in late April-May. The pair starts building the nest two months before laying eggs.
Typically, the nest is built in mature forest, on a branch near the trunk, not far from open spaces—roads, swamps, meadows, etc. The nest is about a meter in diameter, constructed from dry twigs, entwined with green shoots or bundles of needles and pieces of bark.
Usually, the female lays 2-4 eggs at intervals of 2-3 days each. The eggs measure 59 x 45 mm, are rough to the touch, and are bluish-white. The chicks begin to hatch after 28-38 days. The female primarily incubates, but the male replaces her during hunting. After the offspring appear, the female continues to stay in the nest for another 25 days, during which all hunting responsibilities for the female and the offspring fall on the male. The hatched chicks remain in the nest for 34-35 days, after which they begin to move to nearby branches. They start flying at 35-46 days of age, yet continue to be fed by their parents until they are 70 days old. Complete independence from the parents often occurs suddenly, and 95% of all young hawks become fully independent by the 95th day of their birth. The period of sexual maturity in young hawks occurs after one year.
Autumn migration begins in September in northern regions and in October in southern regions.
Due to their hunting qualities, the goshawk has long been a favorite bird of our hunters. The Kyrgyz only catch females for hunting - they are larger and train better.
Birds
