American Goshawk

Astur atricapillus (Wilson, A, 1812)

Photo © By Detrich, Phil - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75854

Sub-species

STATUS

Nearctic. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

BOU (1971) only accepted the 1935 Isles of Scilly record, however, in a review of the specimen it has now been found to be unacceptable (BOURC (2016) Ibis 158: 202 and Stoddart (2024) in a further review.

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NOT PROVEN

0). 1869 Perth & Kinross Schiehallion Mountain, Perthshire, obtained, May, now at National Museums Scotland (NMS.Z 1885.20).

(R. Gray, Ibis 1870: 292; Gray, 1871; H. M. Drummond Hay, Scottish Naturalist 8: 366; BOU, 1883; Harvie-Brown, 1906).

[BOU, 1915; W. B. Alexander & R. S. R. Fitter, British Birds 48: 5; BOU, 1971; BOURC (2013), Ibis 155: 205; R. Y. McGowan, Scottish Birds 35: 300-310, plates 280 & 281; A. M. Stoddart, British Birds 117: 94-99].

History Robert Gray (1870) in The Ibis, Vol. XII. p. 292, says: 'Last May, when at Brechin, in Forfarshire, I was fortunate in procuring a specimen of the American Goshawk (Astur atricapillus) which had been killed a few months previously by a keeper in the vicinity of Schiehallion, in Perthshire. It was sent by him, along with a number of Snow Buntings and other birds, all recently skinned, to the person from whom I got it; the specimen had been very roughly prepared, as, on afterwards proceeding to relax it, the Glasgow bird-stuffer, whom I employed to mount the skin, found that the brains and eyes had not been removed. This specimen, which is an adult, and apparently a female, is 24.5 in. in length; the wing from flexure measuring 14 inches, and the tail 10.5 in.'

Gray (1871: 39-40) says: 'Knowing the aversion of many ornithologists to admit stragglers into the list of British birds, I have some diffidence in presenting, for the first time, a notice of the occurrence of a species new to this country. It is quite possible, however, that from its general resemblance to the European bird, the American Goshawk may have been hitherto passed over without detection, and may again be found in Scotland. I therefore give it a place in this work, in the expectation that some future observer may be able to note its appearance a second or third time in Britain, and thus place it at least on a level with other species whose occurrence has been recorded at long and uncertain intervals. In May, 1869, when visiting the town of Brechin, in Forfarshire, I was fortunate in finding a very handsome specimen of this Goshawk in the hands of a bird-stuffer there, who had obtained it a short time previously from a keeper in Perthshire, along with a number of snow-buntings and other birds, shot by him on the flanks of Schiehallion, and all recently skinned.

The bird was kindly presented to me by its possessor, who looked upon it as a "coarse sort of gled", and hardly worth the trouble of cleaning, as the head had been much stained and the plumage otherwise soiled by the person who skinned it. On proceeding to relax the skin, it was found by the Glasgow stuffer whom I employed to mount the bird, that the brains and eyes had not been removed, nor the flesh from the wing-bones, so that no doubt could be entertained as to its recent occurrence. The total length of the specimen, apparently a female, is 24½ inches; wing, from shoulder to tip of longest quill, 14 inches; tail, 10½ inches. The distribution of the markings on the plumage is precisely that detailed by the late Mr Cassin, Prince Bonaparte, and other writers, but the head can. scarcely be called black; the hind neck appears, when the feathers are raised, as if spotted with yellowish white, the same semicircular mark appearing on the occiput of a Sparrowhawk. The breast and under parts are at first sight grey, but on closer inspection show the faint transverse markings and a thin longitudinal streak in the centre of each feather.

The following concise distinctions are given by Sir William Jardine in the third volume of his Illustrations of Ornithology. "The greatest and most perceptible distinction between the two birds is in the markings of the breast and underparts, and it is so distinct as to be at once perceived. In the American species the under parts are of a uniform pale greyish white, having the quill and centre of each feather black, forming a dark streak. This extends to those in the middle of the belly, after which it is hardly visible; every feather in addition is clouded transversely with irregular bars of grey. In the European bird, the markings are in the shape of two decided transverse dark bars upon each feather, with the shaft of the same colour, but not exceeding its own breadth, each as a whole, having a different appearance".

I have only to add to this description, that a fine European Goshawk now before me, which was shot off the nest by the late Mr Wheelwright, has each feather on the breast marked with three distinct transverse bars, and that the subject of this notice shows the longitudinal streak on the breast to be almost confined to the shaft of each feather.'

Admitted by H. M. Drummond Hay (1885-86) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. VIII. p. 366, in the Report of the East of Scotland Union, and by Harvie-Brown (1906: 194).

Admitted nationally in their first List of British Birds (BOU 1883), however, it was later found not proven under 'Appendix I' in their second List of British Birds where it was stated that on the evidence the Committee do not regard it as entirely satisfactory (BOU 1915).

Identification was proven and many aspects of the paper trail were convincing though there was still a doubt over its provenance, with a discrepancy over the date of collection and the possibility that the specimen may have been switched while being stuffed (BOURC (2013) Ibis 155: 205).

0). 1935 Isles of Scilly Tresco, adult, shot, 28th December, photo, now at Isles of Scilly Museum.

(F. W. Frohawk, Field 30th May 1936: 1318; Eds., British Birds 30: 197; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 36).

[BOURC (2016), Ibis 158: 202; A. M. Stoddart, British Birds 117: 94-99]

History F. W. Frohawk of Sutton, Surrey (1936) in The Field of 30th May, Vol. CLXVII. p. 1318, says: 'The appearance of an adult male American Goshawk at Tresco, Scilly Isles, on December 28th last, is of much interest to naturalists, as the only other authentic instance of its occurrence in this country is one shot in February, 1919, in Co. Tyrone. One is said to have been obtained in Perthshire in 1869 and another in Tipperary in 1870, but doubt still exists as to these two records being genuine. Major A. Dorrien Smith, to whom I am indebted for particulars of the present example, informs me that the legs and toes were "greenish-yellow" rather than yellow as usually depicted.'

In an Editorial (1936) in British Birds, Vol. XXX. p. 197, they say: 'Mr. F. W. Frohawk records (Field, 30.v.36, p. 1318) that an adult male American Goshawk (Accipiter g. atricapillus) occurred at Tresco, on December 28th, 1935. The bird, we understand, was examined and identified at the Natural History Museum. There is only one previous fully authenticated example, which was shot in Co. Tyrone on February 24th, 1919.'