# Crashed Goshawk, up and running again



## nabisho (Nov 18, 2004)

This young lady is a juvenile Goshawk, she was found on the ground up in the Lake Tahoe area. She has a pinched nerve in her tail and couldn’t fly more than about 10 feet and crash. She was about 5 oz. underweight and probably had not eaten in a few days so she was nearly starved. She also had a G.I. infection probably from trying to eat cat or dog food in somebody’s yard. Since she is so young (she’s this year’s hatch) and from the look of her tail injury she may have mistook a Jack Rabbit for a Cottontail. When she swooped down to snatch the Jack she got the kicking of her lifetime, probably got kicked straight back onto her tail. I’ve seen Jack’s rock forward on their front legs and kick a pesky Magpie 20 feet with their powerful hind legs, and this could be what happened to her. We immobilized the tail and gave her a full cycle of anti-biotics and here she is getting her tail splints off last Saturday, now she is outside in one of the full size aviaries, flying and building her muscles back up. She is recovering nicely and should be ready to go back up the mountain and join her brothers & sisters in another couple weeks, we will take her well up toward the summit so she will not see any pigeons and get tempted  You should hear the sound coming out of that mouth it hurts your ears. Notice how she is being held, thick leather welders gloves, and always above the ankle well away from the talons, those talons can go through a cotton or regular leather gardener’s glove like a hot knife through butter.

And we made it through Halloween without losing a bird this year - it appears the lights, alarms and cameras have been an effective deterrant to the birdknappers. Thanks everyone for wishing us luck it appears to have worked this year.

NAB 

Before dinner










After dinner, look at how the crop turns white when full.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

What a beauty, he looks almost prehistoric. I never thought of a rabbit defensively attacking a hawk before.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Nab, that is a gorgeous bird and looks huge in size. Is there a reason that the chest turns white when its fed?

I always look forward to your posts and seeing and learning about all the different little critters you get in.


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## nabisho (Nov 18, 2004)

*It's because as the become full*

the underneath feathers get exposed as the crop swells out. A lot the big hawks like Red-Tails and Goshawks will show a white front when they are eating well and full.

NAB 

Here she is before dinner.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Good-looking goshawk*

*Nabisho*,

Great-looking bird.

Glad you and your birds made it through the Halloween period okay.

*Lady Tarheel*,

Interesting about the chest showing white when he is fed.

My chest turns the color of whatever I am eating at the moment. My wife says I need a bib. I say I am a historian and like to keep records of what I have eaten.

'Nuf silliness. Time for some sleep.

Larry


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Larry_Cologne said:


> My chest turns the color of whatever I am eating at the moment. My wife says I need a bib. I say I am a historian and like to keep records of what I have eaten.
> Larry


 
Larry! LOL  

Good one!

Linda


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Nab,

Seriously gorgeous bird....glad to hear he's doing so well.

Linda


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

That's funny. Larry.   

Nab, what a gorgeous bird. That must be awsome having all those beautiful critters to care for.

Reti


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Beautiful bird - glad she is now on the mend. Very interesting information about the jack rabbit!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

You have done it again, Nab! GREAT THREAD! All of us get a non-injury "crash" course with your latest birds!!  

VERY interesting about the Jack Rabbits! I never knew that either! Don't see many any more due to all the building going on around my area!  Will NEVER forget the MAGNIFICANT speciman I saw over at our Community College, sitting, just watching those of us walking around in a circle (track), getting our exercise!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

You have done it again, Nab! GREAT THREAD! All of us get a non-injury "crash" course with your latest birds!!  

VERY interesting about the Jack Rabbits! I never knew that either! Don't see many any more due to all the building going on around my area!  Will NEVER forget the MAGNIFICANT speciman I saw over at our Community College, sitting, just watching those of us walking around in a circle (track), getting our exercise!

Larry - I guess your wife thinks that if you eat it, you wear it????


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

Nab, I am curious to know about how much they weigh when they are adults, and will they stay that color. Those long claws makes me want to run and get my red nail polish. Glad to hear that all went well on Halloween! We were all worried!

Feather


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

*Maby a better look at Goshawk*

Nabisho, Great job your doing. I love the Goshawks the best. I'm trying to post my 1st pictures, so don't know if I'm doing this right. This pic is of my Female Juvenile Goshawk Nik-ki in the late 80's when I was a Falconer. Might give folks a better look at how long the Train (tail) really is. Goshawks have so much take off speed. She would catch Jackrabbits, or just about anything she wanted, but your right, Jack Rabbits kick so hard with there rears that most Hawks on the wild can get hurt from them very easy & stop trying for them..... 
Happy


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

*Goshawk at 3 Yrs. old*

I'm posting this picture to show the diff. after 2 moults of a No. American Goshawk. This is Nik-ki at 3 Yrs. old in 1991. I had to cut the DPI on this pic to keep it under 100 kb. that it doesn't show how Beautiful they really are & what a change in colorations. Note the White Eyebrows. I released her back to the wild after flying her for 3 yrs & have never flown Falconry since. She may be the mother of Nab's passage (Juvenile) that he is helping! They nick named Goshawks the Cooks Hawk, as they can catch more game than ANY other Hawk. I just Race my Homers now... I had to post the 1st pic. post above in Black & White, but hope this Color one makes it??...... Happy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Great pictures, Happy! And you look Happy in them! What a gorgeous bird!

Terry


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Great pics Happy. Beautiful bird.
How long do they live?

Reti


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Beautiful birds. I can't help it if they are predators, I still like all of them and admire them.

Happy, those were great pictures of your hawks. I'll bet you still miss being a falconer.

Larry, you are so funny. The older I get the more dribble I get too. I'll need to wear a bib before long.


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Reti said:


> Great pics Happy. Beautiful bird.
> How long do they live?
> 
> Reti


Reti, I knew one guy that Flew a Goshawk for 20 yrs. when the guy died. Don't know how long the Goshawk lived after that or who got it.. I have an old friend from my time that still active in Falconry & he is just retiring a 15 yr. old Peregrine. She will go into breeding chambers to see if she is still breedable? So I'm not sure, but these are the oldest "active" Hawks/Falcons I know of. My opinion is they could live to be 25-30+yrs. in a controlled enviroment, but not active Flying & catching Prey....


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

Thank You Happy!

You had a gorgeous bird. Through Nid-ki's images you have answered my questions, and more. What a powerful looking creature!

Feather


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