Goshawks and impact on the ecosystem (1 Viewer)

[jogresh]

Yes, someone i was dating was running a scheme to beam a live feed of a Honey Buzzard nest, to a local Country Park Visitor Centre. Sadly, soon after it started, the camera captured a Goshawk landing on the nest and killing the incubating female.

After 2 seasons of Goshawk monitoring contracts (in relation to windfarm stuff), one thing that i was very struck by was the absence of Sparrowhawks in areas with Gos. They'd occasionally pop up around the peripheries, but totally absent in habitat in which you would normally find Sparrowhawks.

 

[Farnboro John]

Yes, someone i was dating was running a scheme to beam a live feed of a Honey Buzzard nest, to a local Country Park Visitor Centre. Sadly, soon after it started, the camera captured a Goshawk landing on the nest and killing the incubating female.

After 2 seasons of Goshawk monitoring contracts (in relation to windfarm stuff), one thing that i was very struck by was the absence of Sparrowhawks in areas with Gos. They'd occasionally pop up around the peripheries, but totally absent in habitat in which you would normally find Sparrowhawks.

I've heard that for years from New Forest observers but my experience is that it isn't so (I still see them): I suspect that the presence of Goshawks does however make them much more circumspect in their actions from display through hunting style to selection of breeding sites.

It probably does reduce density through forcing the more particular behaviour selection processes.

John

 

[Himalaya]

I've heard that for years from New Forest observers but my experience is that it isn't so (I still see them): I suspect that the presence of Goshawks does however make them much more circumspect in their actions from display through hunting style to selection of breeding sites.

It probably does reduce density through forcing the more particular behaviour selection processes.

John

I think my local Goshawks have changed the routine of the local Sparrowhawks. They are definitely still there but in a less obvious way.

 

[jurek]

Goshawks are well known to take nestlings. I saw webcam films of Red Kites in Germany, where a Goshawk took all three nestlings within two days.

But other birds of prey do it, too. In White-tailed Eagle nests in Poland, people even about annually see live Common Buzzard chicks. Apparently they are brought as food, but once in the nest, the parental instinct kicks in. Bizzarely, some Buzzard chicks apparently even grow to fledling in eagle nests.

 

[Xenospiza]

But other birds of prey do it, too. In White-tailed Eagle nests in Poland, people even about annually see live Common Buzzard chicks. Apparently they are brought as food, but once in the nest, the parental instinct kicks in. Bizzarely, some Buzzard chicks apparently even grow to fledling in eagle nests.

I never knew!
A few pictures from Poland here, although the fate of the buzzard chicks seems uncertain...
A successful case from Germany.

 

[jurek]

Coming back to that video of Goshawk robbing Red Kite nest. The Goshawk perched quite a long time on the nest, and seemed confused what to do. It was sad to see that one naïve Red Kite chick faced and crouched in front of the Goshawk like hoping to be brooded by a parent. But it did not save it. It looked like both raptors were ambiguous between predator-prey and parent-offspring behaviour.

 

[MoiraW]

I'm lucky enough, in west Wales, to have 2 local gos nests. In each case there are active raven and buzzard nests only just out of sightline of the gos nests. I'm intrigued by this. Obviously the ravens fledge earlier, but the buzzards would be at the same stage as the gos so an easy target I would have thought. I've found sparrowhawk remains in gos territory.
Smaller birds are still plentiful and active, but larger ones like pigeons and corvids appear more wary in their activity.
Has anyone else come across these three nests in close proximity?

 

[jogresh]

I'm lucky enough, in west Wales, to have 2 local gos nests. In each case there are active raven and buzzard nests only just out of sightline of the gos nests. I'm intrigued by this. Obviously the ravens fledge earlier, but the buzzards would be at the same stage as the gos so an easy target I would have thought. I've found sparrowhawk remains in gos territory.
Smaller birds are still plentiful and active, but larger ones like pigeons and corvids appear more wary in their activity.
Has anyone else come across these three nests in close proximity?

Yes, I have. Both RN & BZ tree-nesting near Gos, and I too have wondered about whether the BZ, in particular, were on the menu, but they don't seem to be. It mustn't be worth it for the Gos in areas with plentiful woodpigeon, jackdaw, pheasant, chickens, squirrels, rabbits etc etc., (and they tend to hunt in the open usually). 🙂