Goshawk Accipiter gentilis

Goshawks are a Schedule 1 species and therefore care must be taken when surveying to avoid disturbance of nesting birds and/or dependant young (refer to Schedule 1 section for further details). It is therefore recommended that surveys are only undertaken by experienced raptor surveyors with the necessary fieldcraft skills to know how to avoid causing disturbance when undertaking surveys.

As described in Hardey et al. (2013), goshawk are tree nesting raptors, and typically breed in large mature forests. However, they can also breed in smaller woodlands (20-50 ha) and even in wooded parks in some central European cities. Their breeding range can be found on the British Trust for Ornithology Bird Atlas Mapstore.

A survey method is described in Hardey et al. (2013). However, this survey method includes a fourth visits to check for fledging success. Therefore, it may be appropriate to reduce the number of visits, or focus the visits on the earlier part of the breeding season, if the survey has an alternative aim, such as determining goshawk nesting presence or absence, which could potentially be determined in fewer visits and at lower risk of disturbance.

The survey method is described in detail in Hardey et al. (2013) and that reference should be read prior to undertaking goshawk surveys (this can be accessed here). However, a summary is provided here.