Goshawk

The Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is Britain’s largest and most powerful true hawk, nicknamed the 'phantom of the forest' for its elusive nature and remarkable ability to manoeuvre at speed through dense woodland. Resembling a giant Sparrowhawk, it has broad rounded wings, a long barred tail, striking red‑orange eyes and a bold pale eyebrow stripe — females are significantly larger than males, nearly the size of a Common Buzzard. It hunts by surprise, bursting from cover to chase prey such as pigeons, crows, grey squirrels and gamebirds through the trees. Persecuted to extinction in the UK by the late 19th century, it became re‑established from the 1960s onwards through accidental escapes and deliberate releases from falconry, and now nests in mature woodlands across much of the UK, though it remains secretive and thinly distributed.