Goshawk Eating Cottontail

[cou...@gojade.org]

Yesterday on a hike in the mountains, I flushed a Goshawk off a kill site. Upon investigation, the prey was a cottontail rabbit, and was a fresh-kill. I normally think of Accipiters as bird hunters, but goes to show they take a variety of prey. We left the site for two hours and returned, but no bird on it. Evidently he had had his fill.

 

John Rawinski

Monte Vista, CO

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Hi John et al,
Thanks for your post.  I think goshawks probably have the highest % of mammals in their diet of any accipiter.  I did some reading and, interestingly, a study in NY found that their two most common food items were red squirrels and crows.  Guess what the two most common predators of goshawk eggs in the nest are in that part of the goshawk's range?  Yes, red squirrels and crows.  I guess one way to deal with your procreation problems is try and make sure they never make it to your doorstep.

Cheers,
Dave

---

From: cou...@gojade.org
To: cob...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Goshawk Eating Cottontail
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 10:07:48 -0600

Yesterday on a hike in the mountains, I flushed a Goshawk off a kill site. Upon investigation, the prey was a cottontail rabbit, and was a fresh-kill. I normally think of Accipiters as bird hunters, but goes to show they take a variety of prey. We left the site for two hours and returned, but no bird on it. Evidently he had had his fill.

 

John Rawinski

Monte Vista, CO

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