Goshawk; Northern goshawk  Kanakull        Accipiter gentilis

We have discussed goshawks breeding in the greenery of cities earlier. In August the young birds make their flight practices and so can be seen by interested observers. Pay attention to whether the right leg of the bird has a white ring with red text. In the green areas of Tallinn more than 15 goshawk pairs may breed this year.

Goshawks are not numerous in Estonian nature, only about 500 breeding pairs. The breeders in cities are about 5% of the population. Nothing to be done about it, nesting is more stressful in urban conditions but the opportunities for hunting more abundant since mostly domestic pigeons are hunted.

Two goshawk ( Accipiter ) genus species live in our nature, with quite similar plumages as well as behaviour: the sparrowhawk and the goshawk. Both can be seen in urban environments. They look similar but differ in size. While the body length of a sparrowhawk is less than 40 centimetres, a goshwak is more than half a metre and the wingspan is certainly above a metre – a large bird, Even the young birds already have the measures of adults.

We see sparrowhawks only rarely during the nesting season although there are two to three thousand breeders. Their nests are in dense spruce stands and they gather in settlements towards winter since their prey of smaller birds – passerines - also gather there at the winter feeding sites.

Kanakulli noorlind