General

Accipiter hawks are small to medium-sized raptors, mostly living in forests, and are hunting birds. They have long tails and comparatively short, round-tipped wings. They fly fast and usually stay low and avoid flying over open countryside, but display flights are performed high over territories, and all species will soar on migration using thermals. Many species can be somewhat difficult to identify, because of their general similarity and fast movements, and this genus is one of the most difficult among Eurasian raptors. The size differences are considerable between some species, but females are often much larger than the males within the species. This sexual size difference is less pronounced in Chinese and Levant Sparrowhawks.

There are important differences in the shape of the wing tip. They are normally difficult to see in the field but easier in photos. Shikra and Japanese Sparrowhawk both show five protruding fingers - the outer primaries which are emarginated. In Japanese the fourth outermost primary tends to be the longest, while in Shikra the three longest primaries are about equal in length. Eurasian Sparrowhawk shows six fingers. Chinese Sparrowhawk shows four. Besra has five fingers and the second outermost is almost as long as the sixth outermost. Crested Goshawk has six fingers, but the sixth outermost is intermediate between the fifth and the seventh. Levant Sparrowhawk has wing tip quite similar to Chinese.

Distribution

Resident in Sri Lanka, Western and Eastern Ghats, the Himalaya, most of the South-East Asia, Southern China, Hainan and Taiwan.

Geographical variation

Western Ghats subspecies peninsulae is small and more brown-breasted, while the more widespread indicusin the Himalayas, Eastern Ghats to Southern China and SE Asia is larger and paler. However, the geographical variation is not very marked on the continent.

Life cycle

Early year breeder, with young fledgings in the northern spring, but in the tropical areas the season is somewhat variable. Moult is mostly after breeding, during the northern summer and early autumn.

General

The second largest, powerful Accipiter species with strong but comparatively short legs (stronger than those of the smaller Accipiters - this is quite a useful characteristic in perched birds). Short primary projection, about one third from secondaries to tail-tip (Besra has slightly longer). Often quite fluffed white undertail-coverts when flying. P9 as long as P5, and P5 to P10 are finger-like. P5 is longer and more protruding than in Besra, (in which it is similar in length to the inner primaries), but also P4 is slightly protruding, so there is not a single feather which is clearly more protruding than the next feather inwards, forming quite a round wing shape with fingers difficult to count (Besra has a long and obviously protruding P6 while its P5 doesn’t protrude at all, so the wing tip looks squarish). In all plumages, the colours and patterning are somewhat similar to Besra, and the structural characters are important. It has a nuchal crest, unlike all other Accipiters of the region, but it is seldom visible, especially in flight. The mesial and moustachial stripes are prominent in all plumages (only Besra is similar in this respect). The dark barring on the uppertail is wide like Besra (unlike the other species).
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General comparison

Crested Goshawk is large and strongly built, yet often difficult to separate from the other species, especially in flight.

Adult

Male has grey head and white throat with distinct mesial stripe. Upper breast streaked with reddish-brown, sides of breast often of uniform colour and in more distant views, the upper breast may seem to be mostly reddish. Flanks and belly barred with the same colour.The whole underbody pattern quite similar to adult Besra, especially females, which are also larger and more Crested Goshawk like). Trousers finely and densely barred (in Besra trousers are often barred but bars similar to the other bars on underbody). Underwing-coverts not really barred, but more spotted, (more densely and extensively pattened in Besra and other Accipiters except Chinese Sparrowhawk and some Shikra). Secondaries more narrowly and densely barred than in smaller species - the fourth bar is almost complete. Orange-yellow eye. Females are quite similar to males and not always separable except by size. The head is browner and the markings on the underparts are less well-defined and less reddish and the eye is more yellow than in males.

First-year

Some show no supercilium (unlike most other juvenile Accipiters), but more commonly they show a variable one. Upper breast streaked like in adult, or in lighter birds, less patterned, but lower underparts less barred, with blotching on flanks and quite sparse patterning in the middle, which can even be lacking. Trousers barred. Upperparts brown with little rufous and whitish fringes to the feathers. Underwing-coverts sparsely patterned or even unpatterned, especially the median ones (as distinct from those of Besra). Very dark eye.

First-year comparison

Crested Goshawk is quite pale in first-year plumage.

Distribution

From central Asia through the Indian subcontinent to South-East Asia. The northernmost breeders are migrants.

Geographical variation

Subspecies cenchroides is large, pale and sandy-tinged, but variable. It breeds in the southern parts of central Asia and Pakistan, and winters to Indian peninsula. Dussumieri breeds in most of the Indian subcontinent and nominate badius in the south and Sri Lanka. They are quite similar to each other and variable, single individuals possibly not identifiable. Males are darker brick-red underneath and darker greyish than typical cenchroides above. Poliopsis of South-East Asia is also large and pale. The males are pale bluish grey from above, not brownish as cenchroides, and the similar difference also in females, which are less blue than males of the respective subspecies. Underparts of adult poliopsis are darker brick-red than in cenchroides and similar to the peninsular subspecies. Young birds of all subspecies are very similar to each other.

Life cycle

Summer breeder, the resident subspecies breeds earlier so that young fledge around May. Moults during and after breeding, with longer distance migrants suspending during the migration and resuming on the wintering grounds. First-winter birds moult body plumage to adult type to a variable extent, then starting with wing feathers during their second calendar year summer, and longer distance migrants may still suspend for their second autumn migration.

General

In many areas quite a common species and is confusable with all other smaller Accipiters. Wings are at their broadest in the middle, and the trailing edge of the primaries is slightly bulging, making the wing somewhat paddle-shaped with a strong carpal angle. The wing-tip is more pointed than in Eurasian Sparrowhawk, but the difference from the other species is not great. P9 tip falls between P6 and P5, P6 to P10 are finger-like = five fingers (six in Eurasian). Long tail, often looking somewhat rounded on the tip (shorter in Japanese, but not much different in Eurasian). Greyish and not very prominent orbital ring (yellowish in most other species except Chinese and Levant Sparrowhawks).

Adult male

Quite uniform pale bluish-grey head (unlike Eurasian and Japanese), an indistinct or lacking mesial-stripe (unlike Besra which has a strong one). Underparts densely barred rufous, in darker birds from longer distances the bars on the upper breast may seem to coalesce in to a largish rufous area. Clear-cut blackish tips to outer primaries (unlike Eurasian, Japanese and Besra) and greyish, not very distinct bars on the secondaries. Unbarred central rectrices. Underwing-coverts are very pale, and almost unmarked, especially in cenchroides but also in other ssp (Eurasian, Japanese and Besra have more patterned underwing-coverts). Dark red iris.

Adult female

Mesial stripe more distinct than in male. Underparts similar to those of males, only slightly more coarsely barred. Upperparts more brownish than in males, but still mainly grey and paler than in other species. Primary tips not so extensively blackish as in males, and secondaries slightly more distinctly barred. Eye more yellow and less orange. In females, the characters of Shikra are less extreme, and in darker, more barred individuals, the colouration may be close to adult female Japanese Sparrowhawk, however, the barring of the underwing is rufous in Shikra (greyish and generally more distinct in Japanese).

First-year

AGEING: Very different from adult. Heavy, dark blotching underneath, with broadly barred flanks. Brown, pale-fringed upperwing-coverts and mantle. Wing-feathers have narrow, clear-cut bars (more indistinct in adults). Juveniles of all ssp may have moulted much of the body plumage by spring,
ID: The head is paler than in most Accipiters and with a greyish tone. Distinct mesial stripe (unlike Eurasian which has none, in Japanese on average a narrower one). Outer rectrices with black, wider terminal band and about six narrow black bars (as in Japanese and Eurasian, but broader in Besra). Colouration may resemble young Japanese, but patterning of underwing-coverts less regular, with spots or streaks concentrated on the lesser coverts and the tips of the greater coverts (thoroughly barred or very regularly spotted in Japanese, and Eurasian), and on average stronger blotching on body underparts. For separation from Besra, see that species.

First-year comparison

Shikra and Japanese Sparrowhawks occur together in numbers in SE Asia on migration, and are often difficult to separate.

Distribution

Balkans, parts of Asia Minor, and around Caspian Sea. Winters in East Africa. Occurs in the same areas with Eurasian Sparrowhawk and marginally with Shikra.

Geographical variation

Monotypic.

Life cycle

Breeds in summer in temperate areas. Winter in tropics.

General

Blackish eye at all ages (unlike Eurasian Sparrowhawk or Shikra, those however show darker reddish eye in adult male). Uniform head colour with no distinct supercilium. Short toes (especially when compared to Eurasian). Long wings with narrow tips make wings look almost Kestrel-like (blunter wing in especially Eurasian), with a long primary projection when perching. Only four fingers (six in Eurasian Sparrowhawk, five in Shikra). P9 falls between P6 and P5. Wing beats slightly faster and steadier than in Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Often in large flocks on migration.

Adult male

Pale blue-grey head and upperparts (but darker than adult male Shikra). Upper breast densely barred rufous, the bars almost coalescing to rufous areas. Lower underparts and underwing-coverts more sparsely barred (Shikra is more uniformly barred). Most of the outer primaries and tips of the middle primaries are blackish forming a black wing tip (not in Eurasian Sparrowhawk in any plumage, adult male Shikra shows dark wing tips, but less distinctly). From greater distances the wing tips seem to be the darkest part of the bird. Secondaries are almost unbarred. Tail is relatively indistinctly barred. Wholly black bill (adult Shikra shows paler base to the bill).

Adult female

Greyish head and grey-brown upperparts (distincly darker than in Shikra). Gular stripe prominent (unlike male). Body underparts and underwing-coverts densely barred rufous-brown, more distinctly than in male. Wing tips darkish, but not as extensively and clear cut as in male. Secondaries barred (male almost unbarred).

First-year

Head darkish and with striped impression, but with not much supercilium (Shikra has paler head, in Eurasian the head looks paler and less uniform, and yellow cere less contrasting). Prominent gular stripe. Generally spotted underparts, with some broad barring on flanks (Eurasian is barred in all plumages). Underwing-coverts spotted. (The whole of the underparts with similar, but more contrasting patterning than in first-year Shikra). Upperparts brown like in other first-year Accipiters, with narrow pale fringes (darker than Shikra). Tips of the outer primaries are darkish, but do not form a similar clear-cut black area as in adult and often not prominent in the field (the wing tip looks still more darkish than in Eurasian). Secondaries barred (resembling adult female).

Subadult

The first post-juvenile feathers like in adult, so no true subadult plumage, but birds in spring migration have already moulted quite a lot and show a mixture of adult and juvenile like feathers. This makes sexing possible.

Distribution

Breeds in southern and Central China and Korea, migrates through South-East Asia to winter mostly in Indonesia.

Life cycle

Summer breeder. Moults wing feathers during and after breeding, suspends for autumn migration and completes the moult in winter. Young birds moult a variable number of body feathers during their first winter, starting their wing feather moult in the summer of the second calendar-year and may not be finished before their second autumn migration.

General

The primary projection is longest of all Accipiters of the area, two thirds from tertial tips towards the tail-tip. The tip of P9 falls between P7 and P6, only four protruding fingers of which two are forming the wing tip. The fifth outermost is very slightly protruding. Wing, especially the outer part, is narrower than in other Accipiters, making this species comparatively easy to identify when flying, but may be confused when perching. The cere always shows an orange tinge (yellow in other species) and the orbital ring is grey and not very prominent (yellowish in most other species, but Shikra also has a greyish cere).

Adult male

Very distinct with white underwing-coverts, mostly black outer primaries - almost harrier-like pattern - grey head and upperparts and unbarred reddish breast and a tail which looks almost unbarred from above but with some slight barring when seen from below. Almost black iris.

Adult male comparison

Beware of moult effects when assessing the shape of wing tip and the number of fingers.

Adult female

Distinct and resembles adult male but the breast colour is more orange and intense, and often more extensive too, and may show some element of barring. Less black on wing-tips than in male, some slight barring on primaries, and unbarred grey upperparts less bluish than in male. Distinct yellow iris (blackish in male).

First-year

AGEING: Rufous blotching and barring on underbody, remiges lightly barred throughout (vs unbarred in many adult males, some light barring in many females).
ID: Easier than in most young Accipiters. Greyish head, some reddish barring on flanks and streaking on breast on whitish background (resembles young Japanese Sparrowhawk and Besra, but slightly lighter). Upperside darker than in the other species, but feather fringes still pale. Black area on the outer primaries smaller than in adults, but still more prominent than in other species, other remiges narrowly barred and underwing-coverts almost patternless (unlike all other Accipiters of the region). By spring it has moulted a lot of the head and other parts of the body, enabling sexing, but still easy to age because of the retained coverts and flight-feathers.

First-year comparison

Wing tip shape is a good character of Chinese in any plumage, but in active flight it may be more difficult to assess.

Subadult

The second set of feathers is adult-like, so no true subadult plumages, but the moult proceeds slowly and in autumn migration as second calendar-year still has many retained juvenile flight feathers. Also adults have remiges of two generations, but the difference in colour and wear is more distinct in second calendar-year birds and the bars on the juvenile secondaries are still visible.

Distribution

Breeds from Japan to Northern China to parts of Mongolia and southern Siberia. Winters in southern China, South-East Asia and Indonesia.

Life cycle

Summer breeder. Adults moult wing feathers during breeding, suspend and complete after migration. First-winter birds moult a variable, often large, number of body feathers and often variable number of flight-feathers before their first spring migration.

General

A small Accipiter. Similar to Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Shikra, and Besra and not separable in less than good views. Comparatively short tailed, long-winged, with quite thick body, roundish head and small bill. Compared to Eurasian Sparrowhawk, head looks more protruding and the tail is shorter, which is the best distinction between these two. The tail is also shorter than in Shikra, this is especially evident when comparing large and long-tailed female Shikra to small and short-tailed male Japanese – but the difference in shape compared to Shikra is not as evident as compared to Eurasian. Often flies fast with dove-like, very deep and quick wing-beats. Longer primary projection than both Eurasian Sparrowhawk and, especially, Besra – the longest primary reaches halfway from the secondaries to the tail tip on a perching bird. The tip of P9 reaches between P6 and P5, normally distinctly longer than P5, primaries P6-P10 finger-like (like Besra and Shikra, unlike Eurasian Sparrowhawk). In all plumages, the mesial stripe is thin, indistinct or almost lacking (like Shikra, on average more distinct in Besra, even less distinct in Eurasian). The tail feathers - other than the outermost - have dark bars about half of the width of the pale intervening areas (about equal width in Besra, but Eurasian and Shikra similar).

Adult male

Head bluish-grey, underparts with orange tone and densely barred (resembles Eurasian Sparrowhawk but the orange is more uniform and head more bluish, male Besra has more variegated pattern with sparse streaks on the upper breast, Shikra has similar pattern but paler head and less distinct barring underneath). In most individuals, orange barring coalesces to uniform orange areas especially on upper flanks, but no large mottling (in Shikra the barring remains visible even in very reddish individuals and does not tend to coalesce), the bars in the area outside the coalescence are somewhat less reddish (in Shikra the colour of the barring is quite uniform overall). Underwing coverts mostly barred (mostly spotted in Besra and often almost unpatterned in Shikra) and underside of remiges densely barred with narrow bars (slightly wider and fewer bars in Besra). More uniformly bluish upperparts than in adult male Besra, and eyes dark reddish, almost black in some, but then with a yellowish eye-ring (unlike Chinese Sparrowhawk).

Adult female

Grey head almost hood-like (vs. Eurasian Sparrowhawk). Underbody wholly barred reddish-brown (but less reddish and more contrasting than in adult female Shikra), also underwing-coverts uniformly barred (like Eurasian Sparrowhawk, different to others). Barring on the underside of wings separates from Besra, as in males. Upperparts more brownish than in male. The tail barring resembles male, but the dark bars are darker. Iris yellowish (vs. male).

First-year

AGEING: In juvenile plumage in autumn the upper breast is streaked, while lower underparts, or flanks at least, are mostly barred reddish-brown (adult male is reddish-barred, adult female much more uniformly barred), brown upperparts with feathers fringed warm brown (adults are greyish or even bluish-grey). Yellow or even brownish iris. Young females slightly more regularly barred than males, but the difference is not great. In spring ageing is more difficult, but a variable part of the feathers are still retained from the juvenile plumage.
ID: Compared to Besra, barring of the tail, boldness of the mesial stripe and darkness of underpart pattern (see that species). Compared to Eurasian Sparrowhawk, bold barring on the sides of underparts and streaks or spots centrally (Eurasian has variable but mostly finely barred underparts, mottling on upper breast), with a less pronounced supercilium (normally whitish and quite distinct in first plumage Eurasian). The chin is white or with a mesial stripe with varying intensity (Eurasian often has densely streaked chin, with at most a slight suggestion of mesial stripe, but chin is often just whitish), and upperparts are darker, especially the cap. Compared to Shikra, the head is darker with no or only short supercilium, eye-ring bright yellow (grey in Shikra), underwing coverts more regularly and densely barred or spotted.

Distribution

Resident in Western Ghats, Himalayas, parts of South-East Asia, southern China and Taiwan.

Geographical variation

Several subspecies in the region, but they are quite similar to each other: kashmiriensis in Western Himalaya, affinis Eastern Himalaya, S China and SE Asia, and besra Southern India.

Life cycle

General

Small Accipiter, of similar size to Japanese Sparrowhawk, but slightly shorter-winged and longer-tailed. Adult colouration is reasonably distinct, but young birds are very like many other Accipiter species. Mostly confused with Japanese, Shikra, Eurasian Sparrowhawk and Crested Goshawk. Rounder-winged and slightly longer-tailed than Japanese. Crested Goshawk has more powerful body and head and relatively shorter tail. The tip of P9 reaches between P5 and P4 (this is diagnostic in the hand in relation to Shikra and Japanese, which have P9 longer than P5, and is often possible to judge from flight photos), P6-P10 finger-like, P5 short and P6 clearly longer, distinctly finger-like. (Shorter P5 than in Eurasian makes wing-tip look narrower. In Crested Goshawk the difference between P5 and P6 is not that large, which makes wing-tip slightly different). In all plumages, mesial stripe is clearly more distinct than in Eurasian and somewhat more distinct than in Japanese (but also Crested Goshawk has as distinct mesial stripe and many Shikras too). The black bars on the tail are about as wide as the intervening pale bars (vs. Japanese, Eurasian and Shikra, which have narrower and more indistinct black bars, nearer half of the width of the pale ones, but are similar to Crested Goshawk). The number of black bars on uppertail is typically three (four typically in Shikra, but these are not always easy to count). On the outermost tail feathers (which are in the field mostly visible underneath) the barring is narrower with dark bars about half of the width of the palebars, but the corresponding dark bars in other species are narrower still, about a quarter of pale bars.

Adult male

Dark grey hood, no supercilium and distinct mesial-stripe, cap almost blackish. The breast and flanks show variable but generally darkish more or less uniform reddish brown area with some irregular barring. Lower underparts densely barred reddish-brown (Shikra has paler head and is barred throughout without uniform reddish areas, Japanese Sparrowhawk male has paler head and more orange tone to underparts). Upperparts quite dark brownish-grey. Iris orange-tinged yellow.

Adult female

More similar to male than in most congenerics. Distinctly larger than male. Underparts paler and less reddish, more mid-brown, upper breast shows some brown streaks, otherwise the underpart barring is more regular and most of the underbody barred, while the uniform areas are less extensive. Bars are bolder than in other small species. Upperparts browner than in male, less bluish.

First-year

AGEING: Upperparts brownish and feathers with warm brown fringes, as in many other Accipiters. Not as distinctly grey-hooded as adult, head is largely brownish with blackish cap in some. Bars and tips of outer primaries not as clear-cut black as in adult. Young male on average less strongly and regularly patterned than young female, but the difference is small.
ID: Underbody patterning distinctly different from uniformly barred Eurasian (but upperparts quite similar in Eurasian). Difficult to separate from juvenile Japanese. Underbody patterning is variable and may be almost identical, but Besra has somewhat blacker patterns with broader bars. Note also the wing formula and tail barring. Mesial stripes may be identical, but on average Besra has a stronger one. Also difficult to separate from juvenile Shikra. Underbody pattern, including mesial stripe may be identical. Tail barring is different, as well as wing formula. Upperparts otherwise similar, but Besra has darker and browner head. Pattern resembles also juvenile Crested Goshawk, but the supercilium is slightly more prominent, underwing coverts more spotted – but variable – and trousers are blotched or at most very broadly barred (densely barred in many Crested Goshawks) - structural characters are important between these two.

First-year comparison

Separating smaller species in the first plumage is the classic challenge in Accipiter identification.

Distribution

Very wide breeding distribution area in Europe, the forested parts of northern Asia, central Asian mountains, the Himalayas, Chinese mountains, Korea and Japan. The northernmost populations are migratory, and spend the winter in southern part of Europe, in parts of the Indian subcontinent, southern China and South-East Asia.

Geographical variation

Nominate nisus breeds from Europe to Western Siberia, nisosimilis to the east of it. Nisosimilis is very similar to the nominate, only slightly paler, often not distinguishable in the field, but the birds of the central Siberia tend to be the palest and sometimes distinct. Melaschistos is the mountain form from Afghanistan to China, the head and upperparts are distinctly darker than in other ssp, and rufous on the underparts is more extensive. Adult male is possible to identify to subspecies in the field, females and juveniles less so.

Life cycle

Summer breeder and moulter. Even the northernmost migrants normally do not need to suspend the wing feather moult for autumn migration, but sometimes the moult is not yet finished early in the season, with the outermost primaries still growing.

General

Smallish Accipiter, but female much larger, twice as heavy as male, and with a markedly stronger bill. Lacks mesial stripe in all plumages, but very slight streaking resembling one may occur in some juveniles. Eye is never very dark, but may be reddish in adult male. Base of the bill is greyish (bill more extensively blackish in e,g, Shikra and Levant Sparrowhawk). At least the northern juveniles moult very little during the first year. The tip of P9 equals that of P5, and P5-P10 finger-like – this is the only smaller regional Accipiter with six fingers. However, often starts the autumn migration with the outer primaries not yet fully grown and then the wing formula looks strange. When perching, the difference in the wing structure compared to the other species shows in that outwards from the long gap between the primary tips there is a shorter gap and then several tips very close to each other (in other species there are only tips close to each other outwards from the longer gap). Plumage has an overall resemblance to adult Northern Goshawk.

Adult male

No or very indistinct supercilium on bluish-grey upper head. Underparts barred orange-brown, lower cheeks and sides of breast may be almost uniform orange-brown. Upperparts bluish-grey. Iris colour varies a lot from almost yellow to quite dark reddish, but normally has some reddish tone.

Adult female

Cheeks more uniformly dark than in juvenile. Underparts extensively barred. The barring is brownish, but may be more orange in some. Upperparts with bluish tone (brownish in juvenile).

First-year

SEXING: Juvenile females are more regularly barred than males with more distinct streaking on chin, males have more variable pattern, typically some arrowheads and at times almost spotted underparts, and may show whitish chin, and some juvenile males are almost gingery overall.
AGEING: Brownish fringes on overall dark brownish upperparts separate them from adults in good views, but ageing is not so easy in fast flight. Underparts mostly densely barred, so resembles adult female, but head and underparts somewhat streaked or otherwise less regularly patterned. Upper parts brown with lighter brown feather fringes (adult female have greyish or even bluish cast on upperparts).
ID: Other Accipiters are not so uniformly barred in juvenile plumage. Juvenile males may have irregular barring on the upper breast, but the overall pattern is still quite distinct from the pattern of first plumage of most congenerics. Juvenile Eurasian Sparrohawks show a contrasting brownish cheek patch (compared to Shikra). Tail with dark bars about half of the width of the intervening paler bars (as in Japanese and Shikra, different from Besra).

Subadult

Second-year like adult, but may have some browner juvenile remiges left, and some brown-fringed feathers on lesser coverts and rump.

Distribution

Breeds in Europe, Siberia, Japan and Central Chinese mountains, Many birds are sedentary, but northernmost populations are wintering in the southern parts of the breeding area and Southern China.

Geographical variation

Variation is clinal and local variability considerable, and any simple racial dividing may not be satisfactory to describe the variation. The nominate gentilis breeds in most of the Europe. Marginatus from Italy to Iran - it is generally smaller and darker than the nominate. Siberia is inhabited by large, pale birds, separated as buteoides. Juvenile buteoides are often mottled paler on upperparts. Birds become even paler in the north east, called alboides. Some of the eastern birds are paler still and can be considered to be of pale morph. Smaller and darker birds occur to the south of these, named schvedowi, and even darker and smaller birds in Japan, the subspecies fujiyamae.

Life cycle

A summer breeder with most of the moult in late summer to autumn.

General

The largest Accipiter species. The legs are thick and strong, the bill large. Compared to Eurasian Sparrowhawk, and other small species, the head is more protruding and thicker, the wings are slightly longer, the hand is more distinctly narrower than the arm, and the tail shorter. The wing-beats are slower and more powerful and the body seems to be more steady in active flight (going up and down with the wing beats in small species). Young birds have slightly shorter wings and longer tail. The tip of P9 reaches between P6 and P5, and P5 to P10 are finger-like. At least the northern juveniles moult very little during the first year.

Adult

Underparts thinly and densely barred – colouration quite similar to adult female Eurasian Sparrowhawk, but the barring never reddish or clearly brownish as in many Eurasian Sparrowhawks and other Accipiter species. In addition, secondary barring underneath less distinct than in Eurasian Sparrowhawk. The male has a distinct dark bluish crown and cheeks, with a white supercilium, the female is quite similar in plumage to adult males, but browner, and head pattern less distinct. It is distinctly larger and heavier than the male, but this is often difficult to judge in the field.

Adult comparison

Northern Goshawk and Eurasian Sparrowhawk occur together over a vast area, and are sometimes confused. Goshawk is substantially larger, but this is of less use when the bird is high in the sky without any comparison.

First-year

Browner general impression than in adult, even in bad light and from afar. Quite plain facial impression with no distinct supercilium, with streaking. Longitudinal streaks on the underparts are unique among Accipiters of the region, with the ground colour varying from light buffish to orange. Variable pale buffish areas on the median upperwing-coverts. Uppertail with about four darker brown bars bordered by very narrow whitish bars - a unique pattern. Eye yellow.

Subadult

The first post-juvenile plumage fully resembles adult. In the second year, some first-plumage feathers are often retained, especially secondaries, which make exact ageing possible. Younger adults have yellowish eyes, becoming more orange with age. They also often show a quite indistinct and plain head-pattern and less regularly barred upper breast.