birding-aus

White phase Grey Goshawk

To: "birdingaus" <>
Subject: White phase Grey Goshawk
From: "kbrandwood" <>
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:57:24 +1000
Hello everyone, How many of you have seen the white phase of the Grey Goshawk 
flying with a flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoo. I saw it once when I lived in 
Baulkham Hills, the goshawk leaving the flock and perching in a photographic 
position for me. HANZAB mentions this behaviour but gives no reason for it. 
Last Thursday at my home I watched a group of ravens harassing a white bird 
which I called immediately a white goshawk.due to the harassing actions of the 
ravens. It perched high in a tree above the house and I ran in to get my camera 
and took a couple of shots. I did not have my bins handy so could not confirm 
the ID of the bird as it was very high,my wife confirmed it with her bins.As it 
left the tree chased by the ravens I immediately said to my wife that's not a 
goshawk its a cocky as the flight was that jerky flight often performed by S C 
Cockatoos during short flights and is very characteristic of this species. 
However I was not convinced and had a look at the pics and there it was a white 
phase of the Grey Goshawk. My Qs is could it be that flying with other white 
birds is a hunting ruse to surprise its prey and could this mimicking of the 
flying action of the SCCockatoo be to the same end. Anyone else wittinesses 
these two behaviour patterns ?
keith b the beautiful Hawkesbury 60km N/W of Sydney
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