Juvenile Goshawk taken from our bird hide – ©Rob Garner
Dark Chanting Goshawk – Faraba Rice Fields – ©Rob Carr
Bird information
Where can we see a Goshawk?
It prefers habitats with savannahs and open woodlands, favouring mixed bush and broad-leafed woodlands, where it can sit in tall trees to scan for its prey. The pictures above were taken from our bird hide at the back of Footsteps and Faraba Rice Fields.
Gambia’s diverse ecosystems provide a perfect haven for this incredible species, offering avid birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts the opportunity to observe Goshawks in their natural habitat. Whether exploring the dense forests or traversing the open landscapes, visitors to Gambia may be fortunate enough to witness the majestic flight and hunting prowess of this remarkable raptor.
What does it look like?
The Goshawk is a medium-sized, bulky hawk with an upright stance. The head, breast and upperparts are essentially dark grey, while the underparts, other than the breast, are white, finely barred with black. The wing primaries are black, and the tail has broad black and white bars. The cere and the long legs are orange-red. The female is, on average, larger than the male, weighing up to 840g to the male’s maximum weight of 700g. Juveniles tend to have browner plumage reminiscent in colour and pattern of a buzzard. Source Wikipedia
What does it feed on?
Known for its specialised feeding habits, The dark chanting goshawk preys on a wide variety of animals, especially mammals, birds and reptiles; these are normally hunted from a perch, from which the bird swoops to capture prey on the ground or in the air.
Want to know an interesting Factoid?
The courtship display is performed by both sexes during which the male repeatedly dives at the female, who presents her claws to him.
How does it sound?
The Goshawk is a vocal bird, It often calls from a perch or in flight, making an accelerating series of piping notes and fluty whistles, which has been described as a song or chant and there are up to a dozen notes in a series of peeu-peeu-pu-pu-pu. It also gives a high-pitched peee-u. During its breeding season, it is more vocal than when non-breeding