birding-aus

ID Help - Timeless question: C. Sparrowhawk or B.Goshawk

To: Nikolas Haass <>
Subject: ID Help - Timeless question: C. Sparrowhawk or B.Goshawk
From: Allan Richardson <>
Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 20:38:11 +1100
I'm no Stephen Debus, but the bird's GISS looks good for Brown Goshawk to me.

I agree with what Greg has mentioned about the wing and that is what is 
bothering me, I would have expected BrGos would have more length vs width in 
the wing profile in soaring mode (may not be fully stretched though). Tail 
could be a little short as well? There is a bit of a bulge in the back of the 
secondaries that is Sparrowhawk-esque as well.

As Nikolas pointed out it was the bulky body that pulled me toward BG as well. 

Am I picking up immature plumage though? Dappled breast perhaps?. Might be the 
reasons for wing and tail shortcomings and the hooded look referred to by 
Harry??

Allan Richardson
Morisset NSW 

On 09/01/2013, at 6:16 PM, Nikolas Haass wrote:

> Hi guys,
> 
> I agree with Greg regarding the longer central tail feathers. This plus the 
> stockiness of the bird makes me think Brown Goshawk, too.
> I would even go one step further and say that due to its relative bulk it 
> even might be a female Brown Goshawk. But I may be mislead by the photographs.
> 
> As this is indeed not a super-easy topic, I am curious to hear the opinion of 
> some professional Accipiterists ;-)
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Nikolas
>  
> ----------------
> Nikolas Haass
> 
> Sydney, NSW
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Greg and Val Clancy <>
> To: Harry Nyström <>;  
> Sent: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 4:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] ID Help - Timeless question: C. Sparrowhawk or 
> B.Goshawk
> 
> The longer central tail feather in photo 1 suggests Brown Goshawk and this is 
> also just visible in photos 2 and 3.  I wouldn't bet a sheep station on it 
> but I am favouring Brown Goshawk.  I would be keen to see what others 
> (?Stephen Debus) say.  The wings do look broad like a Sparrowhawk's but the 
> Goshawk's wings are also rather broad.
> 
> 
> Greg
> Dr Greg. P. Clancy
> Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide
> PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460
> 0266493153 0429601960
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Harry Nyström
> Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2013 3:40 PM
> To: 
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] ID Help - Timeless question: C. Sparrowhawk or 
> B.Goshawk
> 
> Hello from Finland,
> 
> I casually photographed this bird on August 25th, 2012, in Sydney. The bird
> was then soaring high above Centennial Park and our initial thoughts were:
> a Collared Sparrowhawk. I think we never took a very long look at the bird,
> as we didn't have a scope, but our instinctive ID was based on the jizz.
> 
> As my personal experience ranges only to European Accipiter species, I do
> know the difference in the jizz between the local Sparrowhawk and Goshawk.
> But when it comes to the Australian species, I think that the jizz might be
> a little different? But is it?
> 
> In the photos, the bird seems to be a bit more stocky than to what I am
> used to in Sparrowhawks, but on the other hand, I remember that the flight
> seemed more Sparrowhawk-ish. And is that hooded "look" usual to the species
> (whichever it is)?
> 
> Could some of you verify that this was indeed a Collared Sparrowhawk or
> that we were wrong and it is a Brown Goshawk instead?
> 
> Best three of the photos that were taken of the bird (they're a bit small,
> as the bird was very high):
> http://www.harrynystrom.net/images/accipiter_sp20120825-02m.jpg
> http://www.harrynystrom.net/images/accipiter_sp20120825-16m.jpg
> http://www.harrynystrom.net/images/accipiter_sp20120825-17m.jpg
> 
> By the way, we positively identified a couple of Collared Sparrowhawks
> during our trip, but I am still missing the Brown Goshawk -tick altogether.
> 
> Cheers,
> -Harry
> 
> ===============================
> 
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
> send the message:
> unsubscribe
> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
> to: 
> 
> http://birding-aus.org
> ===============================
> ===============================
> 
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
> send the message:
> unsubscribe
> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
> to: 
> 
> http://birding-aus.org
> ===============================

===============================

To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to: 

http://birding-aus.org
===============================

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the birding-aus mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the archive e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU