Fun White Goshawk Facts For Kids

White or gray goshawks are hawk species mostly found in Australia. These birds are protected legally by the Australian government to ensure a safer habitat for them in the forest.

A few groups of these birds have also been spotted in forest areas of Sunda Island, Solomon Island, and in the islands of New Guinea. In these islands, they are mostly seen near mountain places or in forest areas near the coast.

Some birds can be also found in adjacent villages or in gardens situated in these villages. During the breeding period, males and females nurture their chicks together.

Males are in charge of protecting the nest and collecting the prey while females feed the young hawks by tearing their food into smaller portions. Generally, a young hawk is mostly whitish in color however these young ones found in Australia are grayish in color.

For more bird related content, check out these northern goshawk facts and goshawk facts for kids.

White Goshawk Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a white goshawk?

White goshawks or gray goshawks are birds belonging to the category of birds of prey. These birds are known to be a member of the Accipitridae family and belong to the order of Accipitriformes.

What class of animal does a white goshawk belong to?

Goshawks belong to the Aves class of animals. These birds of prey are from the Accipiter genus and have the Chordata phylum. Belonging to the Animalia kingdom, they are considered to be the novaehollandiae species.

How many white goshawks are there in the world?

Goshawks are considered to be in the Least Concern category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are not considered rare. IUCN states that there are around 2,500 to 9,999 individual Accipiter novaehollandiae currently residing on the planet.

Where does a white goshawk live?

The white goshawk range starts from the eastern and northern parts of Australia, extending up to the north western forests of Australia and stretching to Tasmania. These birds are mostly found near coastal regions that are covered by forests.

The eastern forests of Australia are dominated by the gray hawk. White goshawks are found in the western parts of Tasmania are this is the single form that has been observed there.

What is a white goshawk's habitat?

Generally, the white goshawk habitat includes the coastal range that extends from north eastern parts of Australia to south eastern parts. These birds are mostly found in rainforests near coastal regions.

The forest is filled with tall trees where these birds are found building nests during the onset of the breeding period. These forests are generally closed and are wet due to the adjacent coastal region.

Who do white goshawks live with?

Goshawks are pretty secretive by nature and not much is known about their living habits. However, during the breeding season, this species has been spotted living in small groups of pairs that guard the nest and the eggs.

How long does a white goshawk live?

The average lifespan of an adult goshawk is around seven years. 83% of the adult population is known to survive on a yearly basis. The first year of birth for the juvenile is critical and only around 40% of the population is known to survive until the second year.

How do they reproduce?

White or gray goshawks are a similar species that are known to pair up with their partners permanently. They are monogamous in nature and breed with the same partner every year.

The breeding season differs according to the preferred habitat of the bird. In the north, it occurs during the months of January and May while in the south it occurs between July and December.

During this time, adults are seen to build their nests high up on trees with the help of twigs, leaves, and thin sticks. The same nest is used for breeding every year. If the nest is damaged, the birds take around two months to reconstruct the nest.

Females lay around two to three eggs in a single breeding season. The eggs hatch after almost a month and are taken care of by both parents.

What is their conservation status?

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), these birds are listed under the Least Concern category. There are around 2,500 to 9,999 individuals currently present on the earth and there has been a decreasing trend in their population due to habitat loss.  

White Goshawk Fun Facts

What do white goshawks look like?

Like gray hawks, goshawks are mainly birds of prey that are found in two forms, the white form, and the gray form. The plumage and head of the bird are mostly gray in color whereas the lower parts have white feathers.

Their wings are gray with a round shape, and their lower portions are darker. The major identifiers of this hawk are their red eyes, their yellow feet, and their tail being covered with gray feathers.

How cute are they?

Needless to say, goshawks are extremely cute when it comes to their appearance. Their sober color coordination gives them a sophisticated and sharp look.

How do they communicate?

The male bird makes a 'kieek-kieek' sound which is very high pitched while the female bird has a comparatively smoother call. They are observed to repeat their calls while communicating, which is mostly during the breeding season.

How big is a white goshawk?

Generally, the white goshawk size is around 1.59-2.18 lb (720-990g) with a length of 15.7-21.6 in (40-55 cm). They are slightly bigger than the average hawk which has an average size of around 21-24 in (51.3-61 cm).

How fast can a white goshawk fly?

This bird is known to be a great flier with a wingspan of around 27.5-43.3 in (70-110 cm). They fly up to a range of around 4921.3 ft (1500 m) from sea level.

How much does a white goshawk weigh?

The average goshawk bird has a weight of around 1.6-2.2 lb (720-990 g). They are bulkier than Hawaiian hawks.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There is no specific name assigned to male and female members of this species.

What would you call a baby white goshawk?

A baby bird is usually referred to as a hatchling, young, or chick.

What do they eat?

They prey on smaller birds, snakes, and mammals by piercing them with their claw and throwing them in the pit. They do this after killing them by squeezing them with their wings.

Are they dangerous?

These birds are one of the strongest raptors and are known to be dangerous to humans, bears, and other birds.

Would they make a good pet?

Like a red-tailed hawk, being a raptor by nature, this bird will not make a good pet to humans.

Did you know...

On very rare occasions, a goshawk is seen to breed with a brown hawk.

This bird is considered endangered in Tasmania.

How many species of goshawk are there?

There are six different species of goshawks with 29 different types. The northern goshawk and red goshawk are two of them.

Naming white goshawk

This bird is named white goshawk due to its body being completely white. This is a rare feature and is restricted to this species only.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our pale chanting goshawk fun facts and brown goshawk interesting facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable common hawk-cuckoo coloring pages.

Main image by Summerdrought.

Second image by Francesco Veronesi.