Brown Goshawk — Australian Bird Identification Guide

Fiercely protective of its nest and will dive-bomb intruders, including humans, with powerful feet.

⚠️Not listed

🍃Indigenous: Wandarra, Maliwidiwidi, Malawœrdœwœrdœ, Tedulok, Garrkkany, Kaargany, Garrkany, Malwidiwidi, A-Malwirdiwirdi, Dididi, Garrgany, Jiginok, Grey-Headed Goshawk, Goshawk, Australian Goshawk, Western Goshawk, Chicken-Hawk

At a glance

FamilyHawks, Eagles, and Kites

SizeGiant

RarityCommon

HabitatIn Australia, it is found mainly in eucalypt forests and woodlands, as well as farmland and urban areas.

Best timeReported across most months in Victoria, with no narrow seasonal peak.

Range map

Occurrence window

7536visible hotspots

125212visible records

6states

Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

When soaring, tail-tip is usually rounded. At a distance, appears pale gray from below, with darker wing-tips. When perched, look for heavy brow, large bill, and heavy legs. Immature has dark streaks on chest. Relatively common; pairs often circle high in the sky.

Behavior

Smaller prey such as finches, pipits and fairy-wrens are also preyed on, right up to birds the size of domestic fowls and even large, aggressive birds such as currawongs and kookaburras. The main methods of catching prey are still-hunting, by which the goshawk waits on a hidden perch until prey comes within striking distance, and flying through undergrowth attempting to flush out small prey.

Gallery