Question: Which has the longer middle toe - Brown Goshawk or Collared
Sparrowhawk?
Common folk law would seem to suggest “Collared Sparrowhawk” as has often been
claimed on this forum.
The text in the “Similar species” and “Recognition” sections for Brown Goshawk
in HANZAB would seem to suggest “Collared Sparrowhawk”.
The text for both species in “The Birds of Prey of Australia” (Stephen Debus,
1998) would seem to suggest “Collared Sparrowhawk”.
but........
The measurements in the respective species entries in HANZAB would seem to
suggest “Brown Goshawk”. That would seem reasonable considering that the Brown
Goshawk is the bigger bird (male to male; female to female).
However, there is one aspect to the toe measurements in HANZAB which I find
interesting and could help to explain this anomaly.
The toe measurements for Collared Sparrowhawk are stated to have been “taken
without claw” whereas there is no such qualification noted in respect to the
toe measurements for Brown Goshawk.
Is it possible that different methods were used for measuring the middle toes
of the two different species? Surely not?!
Bob Inglis
Sandstone Point
Queensland
Australia
Sent from my no-name desktop PC.
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