Northern Goshawk Attack, Kilbride, Newfoundland
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มิ.ย. 2013
- While out for a short hike a few weeks ago, I crossed paths with this very upset Northern Goshawk. Apparently I was near her nest and It kept attacking me for 7.5 hours. I finally escaped when it got dark. I carefully crawled out from the shelter of the tree and got back to my car 45 minutes later.
The northern goshawk, accipiter gentilis, is the largest of North America's "true hawks." They measure 19 to 27 inches (48.2 to 68.5 centimeters), weigh 1 to 3 pounds (0.45 to 1.3 kilograms) and have a wingspan of 1.7 to 4 feet (0.5 to 1.2 meters) from wingtip to wingtip. Females are usually larger than males. The plumage of adults is brownish-gray to slate gray above, with a black cap on the head as well as a distinctive white stripe located above their reddish-orange eyes. Females tend to have both browner underparts and coarser markings on the breast than males. Juveniles are brown above, pale buff to whitish below, and have heavy streaking.
The northern goshawk can be found throughout much of North America, Europe and northern Asia. Although they prefer to inhabit coniferous forests, they will also make due with deciduous and mixed forests as well as town parks. Their homes can be located at heights of anywhere from sea level to subalpine areas. They build their nests out of sticks and line them with twigs and leaves. The nests are often placed on top of old growth, where the birds feel they are safe from unwanted visitors. This goshawk species is not particularly social, with the nests of breeding pairs being over 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) apart.
The diet of a northern goshawk consists of small to medium-sized birds and mammals such as gulls, ducks, squirrels and snowshoe hares. They will do their hunting along the edge of the forest, where they search for prey from a hidden perch. A northern goshawk will also do routine patrol flights in order to find a meal. The majority of their food will be caught on the ground and will bring it to a tree separate from its nesting tree. Adults have few enemies, but the young ones are in danger from other large hawks, lynx, bears and owls.
Eggs are lain sometime from April to early May. Females will lay a clutch of 1 to 5 eggs and then proceed to incubate them for 35 to 38 days. While the female is incubating, the male is in charge of providing food for both of them. Even after the eggs hatch, the male will continue to provide food while the female aggressively defends the nest. The newborns will learn to fly at around 34 to 41 days of age, but will not become independent until they are around 70 to 90 days old. Sexual maturity is reached at 2 to 3 years of age, with males developing faster than females. If they little ones can survive long enough, then they can live to be up to 19 years old.
The northern goshawk is an endangered (or even threatened) species. Their greatest threats are the loss of their natural habitat as well as persecution from people. This particular species is actually a good indicator of old growth forest health and as such, their presence indicates a healthy environment. Hopefully, the northern goshawk can continue its peaceful coexistence alongside humans. After all, such a unique bird of prey deserves to live and prosper for future generations to see.
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Hey Jocelyn, The first few minutes I thought it was kind of funny being held captive by a bird. After she kept attacking me every time I tried to leave it was terrifying. I was afraid it would claw at my head or face. It came so close to me so many times. I had to wait till dark to get out. I never thought I would need an emergency kit for a simple 1 hour hike. Take care, Bluefin
Hey Amy, thanks for watching & commenting. It was quite an interesting day. Take care, Bluefin.
Hey Johan, I was thinking the same thing once I said that. It is not a day or hike I will ever forget. Thanks for watching and commenting. Take care, Bluefin.
Just finished reading Helen Mcdonald's "H is for Hawk" and was looking for more information and found your site. A couple of years ago I wondered too close to a pair of nesting northern goshawks and was attacked. I moved from tree to tree, and took a bunch of dead branches and held them over my head to keep from getting hit. They tag-teamed me and would come at me from two different directions. They kept after me for over two hundred yards. It was really something to experience! Take care, Ossie
Hey dragonflyhiker, It certainly tried to get a taste of me, Thanks for watching. Take care, Bluefin.
Hello battlehrfred, I'm pretty sure I was very near a nest and probably trying to escape by walking towards it. It was a short hike I will never forget as it was quite the experience. I was glad to have my emergency kit and I always do.....I just never needed it before. I used most items in it that day. Glad I had my camera too. Thanks for watching and taking time to comment.......Take care, Bluefin.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. The sharp talons did worry me. I'm glad I had my emergency kit. I just posted a new video about my emergency kit. Take care, Bluefin.
Hey Mustang,
Had a great horned owl do that once. Crazy situation! Must of been a nest around. Glad to see you are alright! Take care! Ed
We saw one yesterday on a trail in Pasadena, NL! It knew we were there, and was making lots of noise, but luckily for us wasn't aggressive like the one in your video.
They are a beautiful bird to see. The one in my video was obviously protecting a nearby nest. They are very territorial and will nest in the same area every year. I have returned to that area several times since, just not at nesting time. That bird is still there I heard it several times and have seen it twice since. I think it is the same one anyway.. Thanks for stopping by to watch my video and also for taking the time to comment.......Take care, Bluefin.
@@mustang774 Yeah it was quite the treat. Love seeing any of the raptors in the wild, my favorite are the osprey. Stumbled on one of their nests before, out by Windsor Lake.
When is nesting season? Just so I have an idea of when to keep my distance.
@@bruzrkgro-malog2953 The Goshawks lay their eggs in April, May and June. Mostly in June. That explains why it was so upset with me.
Hey Ed, It was a crazy situation alright. I'm sure I was near a nest. thanks for watching. Take care, Bluefin.
That was wild!! Glad you were prepared and made it out ok.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching......take care, Bluefin.
That was a good video. I believe that the bird just wanted you to leave that particular area. I think you may have been safe, just getting out of there fairly quickly. There are plenty of other trees perhaps that you could find for shelter. I wouldn't worry to much about that bird.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I tried many times to get away but it was so close to my face every time. It obviously had a nest nearby and yes there were other trees near but I couldn't get out from the one I was under. I guess you really had to be there to understand the situation......Take care, Bluefin.
HOLY SH** That was crazy! glad you made it out and had supplies to wait it out.
I thought you may have seen this bird with all the time you spend up there. It was a pretty wild day. I never did find your geocache up there.Thanks for watching........Take care, Bluefin.
wow, what a situation to be in. i couldnt even imagine what was going through your mind. good thing you had some supplies with you.
It was pretty wild and such an unexpected thing to happen. I'm always prepared to spend the night out...Never would think I almost would because of a bird......Take care, Bluefin.
Wow! What an experience. Glad you were able to get out of that situation.
It is a hard story to believe, of all the things that could happen while out hiking solo I never would think this would happen. It was actually terrifying as she came within inches of my face on numerous times during the afternoon and evening. Glad I did have my emergency kit. Take care, Bluefin.
It was pretty intense, still hard to believe 7.5 hours trapped by a bird. "
Thanks for watching / commenting. Take care, Bluefin.
Some kind of raptor bird of prey @ bowring park must have not seen me it dove to skim the water for a fish .
He or she flew right at me turned kinda like a football in its decent but pulled up just over my head. I am assuming when I looked up and saw him dive I screamed and he changed his mind and flew past me not to the river my back was too.
It was brown light under moved quickly from above so I couldn't get a good look but I don't remember any major amount of white. It was not quite as large as a bald eagle?
Yeah Jim it was crazy! I thought the hawk would leave me alone if I stayed still under the tree for a while....obviously not. I am glad I had my emergency kit, it really came in handy. Take care, Bluefin.
It was a female for sure and it was protecting a nearby nest. I never did see the nest. At first it was kind of funny, being held captive by a bird, but after being attacked for over 7 hours it was terrifying. Thanks for watching and take care,Bluefin.
Glad you got out safe Bluefin!
Wow! Scary stuff. Good on you for being prepared!
Wow that's crazy. I think I would have grabbed a pine tree branch and waved it at the attacker, while walking to my car of course. Not sure if it would have thwarted the hawks attack but I don't think I could have sat there for 7.5 hours.
Hell of a story for the grand kids.
Wow Mustang. Good thing to it all worked out in the end. What a giant bird with sharp talons, could do some real damage. Glad to see you were prepared and made it out alright.
And I thought that a bird making a pass at you was a good thing.... :-) Quite the adventure you had there, enjoyed watching it in safety. Thanks for sharing buddy!
Grtz Johan
man, Crazy stuff,yes it must have been a nest or the young ones,and you must have close to them, wrong place, wrong time 7.5 hrs woow!!! and good for you that you were prepared. for sure ty for your vid.
Holy shit that's crazy!!! I'am up there all the time and have never seen that bird. WOW
............That had to have been a scary encounter...being held hostage for over seven hours could get on a man's nerve....Glad you had the time to wait it out without hurting the bird....
It started out being sort of funny but the longer it went on the less funny it was. The hawk had very large sharp talons. I don't think it would purposely hurt me but it could have. It was obviously trying to protect a nearby nest. I didn't want to hurt it. It was a very long day but it was an adventure I won't forget.......Take care, Bluefin.
Hey Keith, It was a wild day. I tried to scare it by screaming and when that didn't work I tried blowing my emergency whistle at it when it came for me. I waved my hiking pole at it also. That may have caused it to get really mad at me, I don't know. Apparently if you get too close to the nest, the females are well known to attack people. I never saw a nest. I am glad I had my emergency kit and my phone so I could call my wife to let her know what was happening. Take care, Bluefin.
These raptors have the nastiest of dispositions amongst the flying birds
R.C Jones I agree. It was just trying to protect her young I guess we would do the same. It is quite a magnificent bird...Thanks for watching....Take care, Bluefin.
morrisdaniel8 I don't think you understand what happened that day. While hiking the bird saw me from a distance, it flew towards me and dive bombed me coming inches from my head. I ran for cover under a small tree. It kept coming after me, crashing through the tree branches again inches from my face. I tried to leave the protection of the tree, every time I did it would come at me again. I was afraid it's sharp talons may cut me I didn't want to harm her. I filmed from under the tree. Bluefin.
Carry a large golf umbrella and deploy it when attacked. It scares the bird.
That sounds like a good idea and it would have saved me a lot of troubles......Take care, Bluefin.
One of my popular videos. I was reminded of this today when Dragonfly Hiker shared a photo of a bird and photographer today. www.boredpanda.com/crazy-photographer-26/
7.5 hours? WTF dude its a bird just walk away. You shouldn't be bothering it near its nest anyway.
You absolutely didn't pay very much attention to the details while watching this video. I was not trying to bother the goshawk. I never did see the nest. I didn't know the bird was there until it swooped at me . The goshawk has very large and sharp talons. They are very protective of the nesting area. I could not move without being swooped at. I guess it is easy for you to have all the answers when you are at sitting at your computer, phone or tablet just typing.....Take care, Bluefin.
@@mustang774 What was the worst that could happen, you get a scratch?
Grow up!@@ryanenglish8047
I LİKE GOSHAWK SO MUCH.THEY ARE LİKE LİON(NO GİVİNG UP)
+Abdullah Abdullah Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. The Goshawk is a beautiful bird and very protective of their young......Take care,
+Abdullah Abdullah thanks..they were enemy of my domestic peagons..although Ilove them so much
Wimp
Well, I guess you had to be there to get the true experience of a mother bird protecting her territory near her nest.....Take care, Bluefin.