VIDEO: Goshawk attacked osprey nest

Submitted by Looduskalender EN on Wed, 03.07.2019 - 08:24
Autorid

Video (Slow motion) Bea, LK forum
Estonian text posted 02.07.2017

 

Female Miina leaves the nest with an alarm call to drive off the invader

Body

Northern  goshawk       Kanakull          Accipiter gentilis

 

Immediately before three o’clock it was raining and female Miina covered her nestlings. A minute before three o’clock just as the rain decreased the goshawk attack took place; attentive forum members recorded it.

The same goshawk has very likely been flying past the nest earlier so that it knew the layout and could plan the attack. Miina has left the nest earlier too with alarm calls but the cause of danger has been too far away or outside the camera’s field of view.

How could the goshawk, belonging to the Accipitridae birds of prey, attack the osprey nest in the presence of an adult osprey? The ospreys belong to our smallest eagles. Female Miina may weigh about two kilos and her wing span can be a metre and a half. The female of the goshawk can weigh half a kilo less and the wing span may be about a quarter of a metre more modest than that of an osprey but it is a fast and skilled flyer and only birds that it hunts are on its menu. This explains the daring attack while the adult osprey was present at the nest.

Screencap from webcam Timea, LK forum

Kannakulli emaslind püüab lennult kotkapoega haarata

The female goshawk tries to seize an osprey nestling in flight

We use cookies on our website to support technical features that enhance your user experience.

We also use analytics & advertising services. To opt-out click for more information.