Northern Goshawk, The Gray Ghost

Almost a year ago, I was reading T.H. White’s “The Goshawk” followed by Helen Macdonald’s equally excellent “H is for Hawk.” At the time, I wouldn’t have guessed I’d be reading a third book about this great creature, but I am happy to say that I did. Whereas the two books I read last year were more about the goshawk's role in falconry, this is a study of the wild bird in its own habitat. I didn't realize there are so many species of goshawk, in the Accipiter genus, in the northern parts of the world. In my opinion, this might be the most beautiful hawk (sorry, all other hawks). While he doesn’t explain the name “Gray Ghost,” I find it fitting. This bird, one I have never seen, does seem almost mythical, a force of nature, living in northern forests. Its sound, as described in this book, is eerie (a sample is here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Goshawk/sounds); the author uses the word “cackle.” Those glowing red eyes and smoky, shadowy plumage of charcoal and stone, and their association with Arthurian times, add to my awed perception.

They are the size of a raven at two feet, with a long tail. Much of what they eat is larger birds, from grosbeaks to owls, as well as mammals. Where available, they seem to love grouse (who can blame them?) and they are an important predator in the ecosystem. They can walk, and sometimes sneak up that way, before they squeeze the life out of their prey. Do they know when they’re eating the same species, or is it different every time, and they just take what is available and what looks good? They have an interesting use of “plucking posts” where they prepare their food to be eaten during nesting season. These birds build their nests almost always in live trees, with lots of canopy cover for shade, and their nests, for as big as they are, blend in with the trees, quite often lodgepole pine or aspen, close to the tree trunk and high off the ground. One or two young or sometimes a third will persist. “Aggressive” is this species’ word, and although they often nest near trails and streams, that’s risky for people by themselves (less so in groups or on horseback) but stressful for the birds as well. The author has been attacked many times, as anyone would be when studying them so closely, but he doesn’t say much about how to protect himself, other than a mention of wearing a hardhat.

His photographs are beautiful, both of the birds and the woodlands they live in. Worth savoring and studying, good for picking up the life history details that, with the writing, Rashid expertly teaches the reader. I think my favorite non-goshawk photo in the book is of a Clark’s Nutcracker, another species I haven’t seen (they’re not near me) but the name is fun to say. I have seen Cooper’s Hawks and Red-tailed Hawks in my back yard, and signs of their attacking, especially of Mourning Doves (also why I think I’ve seen fewer birds lately). Interestingly, the very small birds sometimes nest quite near the Northern Goshawks, as they are smaller than the typical prey.

Many of the sources cited are from the earlier decades of the 20th century, and so the included quotations are of a language not seen as commonly in today's scientific journals. Some sources even go back to the 1800s – even Audubon himself. Besides the titular species, there is some inconsistent capitalization of common names, but included in the back of the book is a list of the scientific names of various species, a good reference. The writing is improved, or better edited than in “The Great Horned Owl” and just as effectively tied to the images. He closes with case studies of rehabilitating a Northern Goshawk with West Nile Virus, and other encounters. I am still in awe of this beautiful bird, and, though maybe not standing on one leg, content to know more about them.

Note: in exchange for an honest review, a copy of this title was generously provided by Schiffer Publishing.