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Grey GoshawkAlternate name(s): "White Goshawk", "Grey-backed Goshawk", "Variable Goshawk" ![]() Size: 40-55 cm; wing span 0.7-1.1 m Weight: 250-470 g (male), 530-1050 g (female) |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "novaehollandiae"
Grey morphology
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2017]
Near-frontal view of a Grey Goshawk (photo courtesy of
R. Plumtree)
[Doctors Flat Road, Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2017]
Near-frontal view of a Grey Goshawk; note the striking
reddish-brown irises (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]
Near-lateral view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Bunya Mountains NP,
QLD, June 2017]
Close-up near-lateral/ventral view of a preening Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Pioneer Cemetery, Cairns, QLD, August 2020]
Close-up near-lateral/ventral view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Pioneer Cemetery, Cairns, QLD, August 2020]
Lateral view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Bunya Mountains NP,
QLD, June 2017]
Close-up lateral portrait of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Lateral view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]
Lateral view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Biniguy, NSW, April 2013]
Near-dorsal view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Darwin, NT, January 2018]
Dorsal view of a Grey Goshawk looking back at the observer
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Pioneer Cemetery, Cairns, QLD, August 2020]
Frontal view of a Grey Goshawk in flight
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, October 2017]
Near-lateral/ventral view of a Grey Goshawk in flight
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, October 2017]
Lateral/ventral view of a Grey Goshawk in flight
[Munmorah SCA,
NSW, June 2011]
Ventral view of a Grey Goshawk in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree, QLD, April 2020]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a sub-adult Grey Goshawk; the age was
determined from the following two photos
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, January 2016]
Dorsal view of a sub-adult Grey Goshawk; here one can see
the remaining barred juvenile outer tail feathers
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, January 2016]
Dorsal view of a sub-adult Grey Goshawk; here one can see
the remaining barred juvenile outer tail feathers
(photo
courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, January 2016]
Frontal view of a first-year Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nakara, Darwin, NT, December 2015]
Lateral view of a first-year Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nakara, Darwin, NT, December 2015]
Lateral/ventral view of a first-year Grey Goshawk; this is the
bird whose calls
were recorded on 19 June 2020
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2020]
Dorsal view of an immature Grey Goshawk with its tail fanned;
the barring on the tail shows that this is a young bird
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Samsonvale, QLD, January 2018]
First-year Grey Goshawk in flight seen from underneath (photo
courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Moree, NSW, July 2013]
Near-frontal view of a juvenile Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile Grey Goshawk demanding to be fed;
this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 24 May 2018
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile Grey Goshawk demanding to be fed
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer, Darwin, NT, July 2013]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanical Gardens, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
White morphology
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Near-dorsal view of a male white Grey Goshawk; the sex was determined
by comparing its size with the associated (grey morph)
female
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Sex unknown |
Frontal/ventral view of a white morphology Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]
Near-frontal view of a Grey Goshawk with what looks like
a deformed beak (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Great Otways NP, VIC, September 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a white Grey Goshawk looking over its shoulder
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a white Grey Goshawk (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Grey Goshawk looking over its shoulder
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Grey Goshawk
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Margate, Kingborough, TAS, September 2021]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Apr - Nov | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 35-40(?) days | Fledging age: 40-45 days |
Apart from weather conditions, the breeding season of Grey Goshawks depends on geographical latitude.
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Female (& male) | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Twitcher's tip |
Note that, by the time they fledge (i.e., leave their nest), the young of all species of raptors - apart from the tail and wing feathers (which are still growing) - are already full adult-size.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Sticks, lined with green leaves | Height above ground: 20 - 30 m |
Grey Goshawk on its nest
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Pioneer Cemetery, Cairns, QLD, August 2020]
Grey Goshawk on its nest
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer, Darwin, NT, March 2013]
Grey Goshawk nest under construction
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
Female Grey Goshawk collecting nesting material; this is the
female associated with the male white morph bird
shown above (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT, June 2018]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 47 x 37 mm | Colour: Creamy, with light-brown patches | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Parrots and cockatoos can quite often be seen to pester raptors, but sometimes the roles are reversed and the raptors use flocks of other bird species to hide in before striking their prey.
White morphology Grey Goshawk masquerading as a
Sulphur-crested
Cockatoo (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Leanyer, Darwin, NT, July 2018]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Small mammals, birds, lizards | Dependents: As adults | Water intake: None |
All raptors are carnivores.
During the first few weeks, raptors feed their chicks with pieces of meat. Later on in their development, the chicks learn to tear apart their parents' prey.
Dorsal view of a Grey Goshawk with its prey, most likely an immature
Orange-footed
Scrubfowl; the kill was made to feed its dependent young
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Botanic Gardens, Darwin, NT, May 2018]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
ggoshwk_pb_20200529.m4a |
novaehollandiae (Darwin, NT) |
Adult & begging juvenile | © PB | |
ggoshwk_pb_20200619.m4a |
novaehollandiae (Darwin, NT) |
Begging calls (first-year) | © PB | |
ggoshwk_pb_20180524_1.m4a |
novaehollandiae (Darwin, NT) |
Begging calls (juvenile) | © PB | |
ggoshwk_pb_20180524_2.m4a |
novaehollandiae (Darwin, NT) |
Begging calls (juvenile) | © PB | |
ggoshwk_pb_20180524_3.m4a |
novaehollandiae (Darwin, NT) |
Begging calls (juvenile) | © PB | |
ggoshwk_pb_20230813.mp3 |
novaehollandiae (Darwin, NT) |
Various (adult & immature) | © PB | |
ggoshwk_pb_20230813_2.mp3 |
novaehollandiae (Darwin, NT) |
Various (immature) | © PB |
More Grey Goshawk sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.