Bird Album
Eurasian Goshawk
Astur gentilis (Linnaeus, 1758)
49–57 cmLength93–105 cmWingspan
This woodland raptor has short, broad wings and a long tail, and the adult always has a single white supercilium above the eye.
Busiest months: October · Most records: Spain, China, Portugal
Looks like Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Crested Goshawk
How to identify
Field marks
- Adult always has a white supercilium
- Wings short and broad, tail long
- Upperparts mostly blue-gray or brownish-gray; underparts dark-marked
- Tail has 3–5 dark bands
Male, female and young
Female noticeably larger than male and can weigh more than twice as much; juvenile eyes pale yellow, adult eyes mostly orange.
Voice
Usually calls only during courtship and the breeding season; male gives a high, rapid “kew-kew-kew” when delivering food, and “guck” or “chup” on meeting the female.
Similar species
Eurasian Goshawk is larger and stouter, with longer, more pointed wings and deeper, slower wingbeats; adult underparts never have rusty barring.
Crested Goshawk is smaller, with a small crest, denser mixed streaks and barring on underparts, and no white supercilium.
Where and when it's recorded
Eurasian Goshawk has been recorded at 1,372 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 68 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- PN Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina – CabranosaPortugal766 records
- Baiwangshan Forest ParkChina407 records
- Großer TiergartenGermany377 records
More places
- Sapieginės miškasLithuania247 records
- Perímetro Florestal do Barão de São JoãoPortugal233 records
- Maridalen – uspesifisertNorway231 records
- MiotoPortugal220 records
- Estany d'Ivars – AreaSpain218 records
- Tempelhofer FeldGermany214 records
- Casa de Campo, MadridSpain212 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The Eurasian goshawk (Astur gentilis) is a species of medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, a family which also includes other extant diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. It was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter. It is a widespread species that inhabits many of the temperate parts of Eurasia.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Eurasian Goshawk?
The Eurasian Goshawk is about 49–57 cm long, with a wingspan of 93–105 cm.
Where does the Eurasian Goshawk live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: widespread. It is most often recorded in Spain, China and Portugal.
When is the best time to see the Eurasian Goshawk?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Northern Hemisphere).
What family is the Eurasian Goshawk in?
It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 49–57 cm
- Wingspan
- 93–105 cm
Range
Palearctic: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Subspecies · 1
- Astur gentilis schvedowi ne Asia to c China
Classification
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
- Genus
- Astur
Other birds in the genus Astur
Bicolored HawkAstur bicolor
Chilean HawkAstur chilensis
Cooper's HawkAstur cooperii
Gundlach's HawkAstur gundlachi
American GoshawkAstur atricapillus
Meyer's GoshawkAstur meyerianus
Black SparrowhawkAstur melanoleucus
Henst's GoshawkAstur henstii
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
Scissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocourii
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Norbert Kenntner, Berlin. ↗
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