Aussie Finch Forum

Wow you lucky thing how gorgeous

That is good to know the newspaper report was wrong nrg800.
Would be a worry otherwise.

I'm in awe of the local goshawk here, a mature bird will seriously efficient hunting skills. Definitely a stealth hunter.
Keeps the local sparrow,indian mynas and starling population well down.
Catches at least one a day that I witness.
Never hangs around my aviary though.

Stunning bird ok added to my wish list.

I see a white one at home most days. I assumed it is a osprey maybe it is. I am yet to see it on the aviary not like the other hawks. Nice photo.

Actually, NRG is not quite right. Firstly, The Grey Goshawk is not threatened in general but this was a white morph which is rarer but I have never seen a count of each morph. Secondly the grey goshawk is on the Threatened list in Vic where the white is more common but overall is quite rare (Gomer the osprey has much darker wings and lighter head than a grey goshawk). Remember bird shot was in Vic, so again article is kind of on right track even if numbers are for Tas.

The main reason the morphs are not subspecies is range - white more common in south of range and extreme north West WA with grey more common in the middle, if range was more discreet they may well be considered subspecies.

As for worldwide numbers, most are in Oz but they also occur on islands to north - PNG, Solomon's and others near them.

We had the white morph visiting my aviaries on a daily basis for a month or so last year. Stunning bird up close. My birds didn't appreciate the visits though. Luckily I never lost any from fright.