Juvenile American Goshawk perched in a conifer – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
It was an autumn morning on Antelope Island State Park when I spotted a juvenile American Goshawk flying fast over the Great Salt Lake with the sun behind it and I couldn’t get my camera focused soon enough to even try to take a nice backlit shot of it.
Another time I found an adult goshawk in a tree out at Farmington Bay WMA’s Goose Egg Island during the winter and it took off before I could get a single shot fired, flew straight to the old nature center, landed on the roof but was gone before I could get there.
Then during another autumn I found a juvenile American Goshawk in a canyon in the mountains of the West Desert. The immature goshawk was across the canyon high up in a tree which made it difficult to point out. The goshawk was so far away that I could barely make out enough features to ID it before it lifted off and disappeared into the woods.
Last fall I spotted a pair of juvenile American Goshawks chasing after each other in a different West Desert mountain canyon and couldn’t get stopped soon enough to to raise my lens before they flew off into the thick forest.
My luck with American Goshawks has been horrible and because of that they have earned the distinction of being a nemesis for me. These fierce accipiters are wary, forest dwelling birds and you have to be moving slow to spot them or sitting perfectly still in their habitat while waiting patiently for them to make an appearance or get lucky and catch them on the wing or out in the open.
Or you have to have a sharp-sighted friend like me to point goshawks out for you.
Goshawks also blend into their habitat quite easily which makes them difficult to spot so having sharp eyes is a definitely an asset for me. It’s also a bonus for anyone riding with me, especially if their eyesight isn’t that good.
Just last week I saw an accipiter land at the top of a conifer on the other side of a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains. Even before I took a photo of it I suspected that it was a juvenile American Goshawk and once I got focused on the young raptor I was 99% sure of the ID but I wanted to look at the images I took on a big screen just to be 100% certain since the bird was so small in the frame. Once again my nemesis goshawk was just too far away for high quality photos.
So, I decided to create a portfolio gallery on my site for American Goshawk images using the photo I took of this juvenile last week. I’ve done that for other nemesis birds and then later have gotten more images of them that I was happy with. Perhaps the bird photography gods will smile on me and send more American Goshawks my way that will be closer, more cooperative and I will finally get the images of this species I have been dreaming of. It doesn’t hurt to have hope.
Life is good.
Mia
American Goshawk facts and information:
Update: In 2023 the common name for this species was changed to American Goshawk, the scientific name was also changed. I have updated this post to reflect those changes.
Accipiter atricapillus
- American Goshawks are large hawks that have blue-gray to blackish upperparts, reddish eyes, dark heads with white eyebrows, and have barred and streaked underparts. Females can be up to 25% larger than males. Juvenile American Goshawks are brown overall, have a pale eyebrow and have yellow eyes.
- American Goshawks are migratory but some populations are year round residents in their range and can be found in much of the northern hemisphere.
- American Goshawks prefer habitats that include dense deciduous and coniferous forests.
- American Goshawks eat birds, mammals, and reptiles.
- American Goshawks lay 3 to 4 eggs which hatch in 36 to 41 days. Both sexes incubate and they are monogamous.
- A group of American Goshawks can be called a “gross”, “flight”, or a “glare” of goshawks.
- Nicknames for American Goshawks include “goose hawk” and “cook’s hawk”.
- American Goshawks can live to be more than 17 years of age.
They are one bird I rarely see in the wild. I saw 2 this summer in Big Cottonwood Canyon. I have a lot of respect for their temperament from working with one in an education program. Feisty!
The Goshawk is really an intriguing species. Years ago I happened upon one and found its nest in the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico, the first known there in about 8 years. I was not into photography then but wish I were as there were such great views. The next season the nest was not occupied when I went into the territory. I had just about given up when I got the idea to suck on my knuckles to make the sound of an injured rabbit (violating rules about attracting and baiting). To my surprise, the bird immediately appeared in a branch right over my head. I was standing under its nest tree! The fire in its eyes was so remarkable.I kept my head down and slowly retreated. The nest was surprisingly small at that time. I will never forget its fierce appearance.
My first thought in seeing this shot was how wild the bird appears because he’s so much a part of his environment. As much as I’d love to see a closeup of this elusive species, I can’t help but smile when I see this shot. There’s something quite magical about it.
Papparazzi have to expect those problems – but I am sure that you WILL triumph.
I can feel your pain, I’ve had the same trouble spotting Northern Goshawks. They are sneaky (or I am blind).
My wife and I saw, and managed to photograph (she did), our first goshawk, perched on a livestock panel in trees in the upper Weber Canyon on the western edge of the Uintas. I have been looking for goshawks for years, so it was a treat.
I agree, first looked at the image and thought scenery?, bird here? than saw the hawk. Tougher bird to capture in the East. Only seen them in an instant or far away with bins, nothing I’ve been able to capture to date.
Yes, this Northern Goshawk does blend in. I quickly looked at the photo and thought you were setting the scene for more shots. Then I saw Juvenile Northern Goshawk underneath the photo. I had to look for it. The scenery is beautiful. One day the gods will smile on you and you will get your closeup. I just know it.