Goshawk

Naturpark Pfyn-Finges - The goshawk is a very agile and powerful flier. The goshawk usually hides away in the woods, but outside the breeding season it can be found in all habitats.

When hunting, it flies low above the ground or the treetops accelerating rapidly and cleverly uses every cover such as uneven ground, bushes and trees to surprise its prey. The goshawk usually hides away in the woods, but outside the breeding season it can be found in all habitats.

Status (in CH): frequent, rare breeding bird, migratory bird and winter visitor.

Features: much larger than the usual sparrowhawk; older birds have narrow grey bans underneath (speckled), younger birds have bright dark-brown stripes; yellow eyes; shrill "gig-gig-gig" call and similar to the buzzard's "i-i-i-i"; flies rapidly, appears suddenly in the woods; the female is larger and more powerful than the male.

(Source: Swiss Ornithological Institute)