GOSHAWK (AS. gbsha foe, goose-hawk, from Os, goose + ha foe, hca for, hawk). A ge niis of falcons (Astor) containing five or six species, distinguished from the true falcons by a lobe or festoon, instead of a sharp tooth, on the edge of the upper mandible, and by the short ness of the wing, which reaches only to the middle of the tail. It is more closely allied to the sparrow-hawks. The species to which the name goshawk originally belonged (Accipiter palumbarins) is very widely diffused over Eu rope, Asia, and the north of Africa, chiefly inhab iting hilly and wooded regions. It'is now very rare in Great Britain, particularly in England. Although one of those that were called ignoble birds of prey, it was much used for falconry, being easily trained, and very successful in catch ing such game as is confined to the ground. The goshawk was thus flown at hares, rabbits, pheas ants, partridges, etc. It was also flown at geese, whence the name It ordinarily seeks its prey by flying near the ground, and can re main a very long time on the wing. It follows its prey in a straight line, not rising in the air to descend upon it, like the falcons; and when baffled by the object of pursuit entering a wood and hiding itself in some covert, will perch on a bough, and await its reappearance with wonder ful patience for many hours. Its flight is very
rapid. The goshawk builds a large nest in trees. The female, much larger than the male, is about two feet in entire length.
The American goshawk (Accipiter atricapillus) differs from that of the Old World, being al together a larger and handsomer hawk. The upper parts are dark bluish slate' color, while underneath it is whitish, closely barred, or ver miculated with fine zigzag lines of brown. The young birds have a much less handsome plumage. The goshawk is chiefly a winter visitor in the Northern United States, but breeds in the Rocky Mountains from Colorado northward. It is the most abundant of the birds of prey in Alaska, where many remain through the winter, and. subsists partly by robbing the Eskimo hunters' snares, though mainly by capturing ptarmigan for itself. See Plate of FALCONS AND FALCONRY.