Possible ageing and sexing of an Eastern England Goshawk? (1 Viewer)

KenM

Well-known member

• Feb 25, 2019

• #1

Makes a pleasant change from dots out of a grey sky, and one that I didn't expect in rolling countryside bereft of woods, (almost...several copses and belts of trees perhaps a mile distant) needless to say...my shutter-burst finger has since recovered.

Clearly an immature, I'm thinking perhaps a 2nd calendar year bird...and is it possible to sex?

Cheers

 

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tconzemi

Tom

Supporter

• Feb 25, 2019

• #2

I'd say sec cal year male

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Feb 25, 2019

• #3

structurally i'd call it a female. good comparison with the crow near it.

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Feb 25, 2019

• #4

ah well, you think it should be bigger, tom, to be a female?

 

tconzemi

Tom

Supporter

• Feb 25, 2019

• #5

lou salomon said:

ah well, you think it should be bigger, tom, to be a female?

Click to expand...

most females are huge, but it is always difficult even with a crow nearby, to me the feet do not look massive enough for a big female

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Feb 25, 2019

• #6

i think you are right, it's not so much bigger than the crow.

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Feb 25, 2019

• #7

Doesn't give the impression of being anywhere near the size of the female I see here occasionally which is huge, maybe close to Buzzard size or so it seems when I see her.

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Feb 25, 2019

• #8

Crows do vary in size ...

I've seen a Buzzard being mobbed by a Crow with no perceptible size difference between the two. Just saying that size is difficult!

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Feb 25, 2019

• #9

dantheman said:

Crows do vary in size ...

I've seen a Buzzard being mobbed by a Crow with no perceptible size difference between the two. Just saying that size is difficult!

Click to expand...

It would have had to have been a Crow which was at the very top end of the range, 80-100cm, with a Buzzard from the very lowest end of the range at 110-140cm, for that impression to be had.

 

KenM

Well-known member

• Feb 25, 2019

• #10

Looks fully expanded in this one, albeit in solitary mode.

 

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Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Feb 25, 2019

• #11

The female I see here, has much more prominently bulging secondaries and is deeper chested, nice shot though Ken.

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Feb 25, 2019

• #12

andyadcock said:

It would have had to have been a Crow which was at the very top end of the range, 80-100cm, with a Buzzard from the very lowest end of the range at 110-140cm, for that impression to be had.

Click to expand...

Yes, that was my thinking on that one ... (A mobile phone image of the bird here, didn't catch it in flight) -

https://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=130620&d=1205941295


You get where I'm coming from wrt the OP I hope, in that crow size varies to the extent that a small female Gos and a large crow may be more comparable sometimes too ...

 

Valéry Schollaert

Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s

• Feb 25, 2019

• #13

It looks much bigger than the crow, female size IMO.

 

Valéry Schollaert

Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s

• Feb 25, 2019

• #14

This photo can help giving ideas... http://www.birdskorea.org/Images/images2010/02/Northern-Goshawk_MP.jpg

 

KenM

Well-known member

• Feb 26, 2019

• #15

Yes thanks guys for your respective inputs, looking at Valery's last post, it's size compares to the accompanying Corvid, thus one assumes a male bird?

The subject bird on measure is certainly bigger than the Corvid by c22-25%
in length....by my reckoning that's getting into female size territory.

Although I do concur with Andy regarding ''big'' female Goshawk, having once glimpsed (in silhouette, out of a late grey afternoon sky) a bird ''creasing'' my neighbours roof, briefly (seconds) and it left a big impression!

However here's another shot of the bird ''compacting'' beneath the Corvid, presumably getting ready to defend any attack, certainly a very capable contortionist, when needs must. :eek!:

 

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