Birds of Prey

Brown GoshawkBrown Goshawk – flight

Widespread throughout Australia, the Brown Goshawk (Accipiter fasciatus) is a medium-sized bird of prey.

The goshawk upperparts are grey with a chestnut collar, whilst the underparts are mainly rufous and finely barred with white. Their rounded wings are dark brown to grey above and a buff to reddish brown below with darker wingtips. The long rounded tail is grey with dark bars. They have long yellow coloured legs, with reddish brown feathering about the thighs. They have bright yellow eyes. The male birds are smaller than females. Their colouring is similar to the Collared Sparrowhawk, but the Brown Goshawk is larger.

The flight pattern of the Brown Goshawk is characterised by frantic flapping that are interspersed with short glides. They hunt birds, small mammals, reptiles and insects. One of the hunting methods of the Brown Goshawk is to suddenly burst from a concealed perch, surprising unsuspecting prey, especially other small birds.

Images © Dorothy L


  • Scientific classification
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Accipitriformes
  • Family: Accipitridae
  • Genus: Accipiter
  • Species: A. fasciatus
  • Binomial name: Accipiter fasciatus

Brown GoshawkBrown Goshawk – flight

RaptorsAustralian Boobook Owl Australian Hobby Barn Owl Black-breasted Buzzard Black Falcon Black Kite Black-shouldered Kite Brown Falcon Brown Goshawk Nankeen Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Spotted Harrier Wedge-tailed Eagle Whistling Kite