Northern Goshawk is a medium-sized raptor found in the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The scientific name, Accipiter gentilis, means noble or gentle hawk because it could only be used for falconry by nobility in the Middle Ages. The hawk only vocalizes during the nesting season or courtship.

Migration Overview
Although at times considered rather sedentary for a northern raptor species, the northern goshawk is a partial migrant. Migratory movements generally occur between September and November (occasionally extending throughout December) in the fall and February to April in the spring. Spring migration is less extensive and more poorly known than fall migration, but seems to peak late March to early April. Some birds up to as far north as northern Canada and central Scandinavia may remain on territory throughout the winter.

Characteristics
Size
1.8 - 2 feet
Wing Span
3 - 3.5 feet
Tweet
Northern goshawks normally only vocalize during courtship or the nesting season. Adult goshawks may chatter a repeated note, varying in speed and volume based on the context. When calling from a perch, birds often turn their heads slowly from side to side, producing a ventriloquial effect. The male calls a fast, high-pitched kew-kew-kew when delivering food or else a very different croaking guck or chup. 
Life Expectancy
11-19.8 years
Weight
631 - 1364 g
Feeding Habits
carnivore, birds , mammals, reptiles, insects
Habitat
Northern goshawks can be found in both deciduous and coniferous forests. While the species might show strong regional preferences for certain trees, they seem to have no strong overall preferences nor even a preference between deciduous or coniferous trees despite claims to the contrary. More important than the type of trees are the composition of a given tree stand, which should be tall, old-growth with intermediate to heavy canopy coverage (often more than 40%) and minimal density undergrowth, both of which are favorable for hunting conditions. 

Distribution Area
The northern goshawk has a large circumpolar distribution. In Eurasia, it is found in most areas of Europe excluding Ireland and Iceland. It has a fairly spotty distribution in western Europe (e. g. Great Britain, Spain, France) but is more or less found continuously through the rest of the continent. Their Eurasian distribution sweeps continuously across most of Russia, excluding the fully treeless tundra in the northern stretches, to the western limits of Siberia as far as Anadyr and Kamchatka. 

Scientific classification
Genus
Accipiter - Bird Hawks, Goshawks, Sparrowhawks, Sparrowhawks and goshawks, Chicken Hawks, Blue Darters, True Hawks, Accipiters, Hawk
Family
Accipitridae - Hawks, Eagles, Kites
Order
Accipitriformes - Vultures, Hawks and Falcons, Hawks and Relatives, Raptors
Class
Aves - Birds
Phylum
Chordata - Chordates
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