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BC Conservation Data Centre: Conservation Status Report

Accipiter atricapillus laingi
American Goshawk, laingi subspecies

 
Scientific Name: Accipiter atricapillus laingi
Scientific Name Synonyms: Accipiter gentilis laingi
English Name: American Goshawk, laingi subspecies
English Name Synonyms: Northern Goshawk, <i>laingi</i> subspecies
   
Provincial Status Summary
Status: S2
Date Status Assigned: June 16, 1997
Date Last Reviewed: May 18, 2010
Reasons: A sparsely distributed bird of prey that is dependent on landscapes with mature/old forest structural features for nesting and fledging habitat. These forest types have been heavily impacted by historic logging practices and continue to be pressured by commercial harvesting.
 
Range
Range Extent: F = 20,000-200,000 square km
Range Extent Comments: Resident on Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands (Campbell et al. 1990). Birds nesting on some of the northern coastal islands between Vancouver Island and the coastal mainland (e.g., Quadra, East Thurlow, West Cracroft and East Rhodonda Islands (E. McClaren pers. comm.) are assumed to be Northern Goshawk, laingi spp.. The subspecies is also presumed to occur on the coastal mainland, although DNA analysis has not confirmed that goshawks breeding there are of this subspecies. Recent mitochondrial DNA analyses (Talbot et al. 2005) suggest that goshawks from the Queen Charlotte Islands are genetically separated from other goshawk populations in British Columbia and Alaska, thereby inferring demographic independence of this island population.
Area of Occupancy (km2): FG = 126-2,500
Area of Occupancy Comments: On Vancouver Island, nesting/post-fledging areas are conservatively estimated at approx. 200 ha in size (BC Minist. of Water, Land and Air Protection 2004). On the Queen Charlotte Islands, nest areas are thought to be larger in size, but estimates have not been calculated (Doyle 2003). Mean inter-territorial distance for a cluster of 16 nest areas on northern Vancouver Island was 6.9 km (McClaren 2003). On the Queen Charlotte Islands, a cluster of nest territories was spaced on average 11.3 km apart from one another (F. Doyle pers. comm.).

Grid: to conform to new ranking standards a 2 km X 2 km grid was applied to the occurrences, resulting in an AOO of 348 km squared. The rank did not change based on this.
 
Occurrences & Population
Number of Occurrences: D = 81 - 300
Comments: Intensive surveys for Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. were initiated in 1995 on Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands and have continued, in a varying degree, on an annual basis (Chytyk and Dhanwant 1999b; McClaren 2003; Doyle 2003; Manning et al. 2004). As of 2004, there are approximately 70 known nesting territories for Vancouver Island, 4 for the coastal islands of Johnstone Strait (E. McClaren pers. comm.), and 10 for the Queen Charlotte Islands (F. Doyle pers. comm.).
Number of Occurrences with Good Viability / Ecological Integrity: D = 13 - 40
Comments: Unknown number of element occurrences with good viability. However, it could be reasonably assumed that those nesting areas within protected parks and reserves, as well as those in approved or proposed Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs), as well as territories that have consistent historical re-occupancy, have good viability. These are estimated at approximately 40 nesting territories.
Number of Occurrences Appropriately Protected & Managed: D = 13 - 40
Comments: Several known nesting territories are protected within provincial parks or reserves (e.g., Strathcona Provincial Park, Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, and Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve). As of 2004, Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs), which are protective measures under the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy (IWMS), have been established around 26 nesting areas in British Columbia: 24 WHAs on Vancouver Island protecting 9533 ha and 2 WHAs on the Queen Charlotte Islands protecting 4866 ha (J. Hoyt pers. comm.). Several other proposed WHAs for Queen Charlotte Goshawk are in the process of being approved under the IWMS.
Population Size: C = 250 - 1,000 individuals
Comments: British Columbia has the majority of the worldwide population. Population for British Columbia in 2001 was crudely estimated at >425 pairs: 300 pairs on Vancouver Island, 50 pairs on the Queen Charlotte Islands, >75 pairs on the coastal mainland (if the subspecies is confirmed to occur on the mainland as is suspected) (Cooper and Chytyk 2001). More recent estimates in 2004 suggest a smaller population; <300 pairs on Vancouver Island (E. McClaren pers. comm.), 10-30 pairs on the Queen Charlotte Islands (F. Doyle pers. comm.); there are no new estimates for the coastal mainland. Populations appear to occur at higher densities on Vancouver Island than on the Queen Charlotte Islands (Cooper and Chytyk 2001).
 
Threats (to population, occurrences, or area affected)
Degree of Threat: Substantial, imminent threat
Comments: The primary threat to Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. is logging of old-growth and mature second growth coniferous forests, especially the low to mid-elevation productive stands where most goshawk use and timber values are concentrated. Past clearcut logging practices have contributed to habitat loss and fragmentation, which may lower the overall usefulness of a landscape for goshawks. At clearcut logging rotations of 60 years, for example, usually only previously logged forests that occur on rich growing sites may develop suitable forest structural attributes for goshawk nesting, and in this example, only for a period of 5-10 years until the next harvest rotation. However, the recent move in managed coastal forests toward ecosystem-based retention harvesting approaches (i.e., non-clearcut systems which retain treed patches) will provide some habitat structure in logged areas. The effectiveness of these systems for maintaining goshawk nesting and foraging habitat is undetermined (i.e., will depend on the size and spatial orientation of patches and their proximity to unlogged stands). Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. are sensitive to human disturbance at nest sites during the breeding season (April - July), and at times, may abandon their nest site due to disturbance factors.
 
Trend (in population, range, area occupied, and/or condition of occurrences)
Short-Term Trend: FG = Decline of <30% to relatively stable
Comments: Short-term population trends for British Columbia are unknown (BC Minist. of Water, Land and Air Protection 2004). On the Queen Charlotte Islands, populations were estimated to be declining at 3-21% annually (Doyle 2003); no estimates have been made for Vancouver Island.
Long-Term Trend: U = Unknown
Comments: Long-term population trends for British Columbia are unknown, but thought to be declining (Cooper and Chytyk 2001). The extent of commercial logging of suitable nesting habitat that has occurred across the range of the Queen Charlotte Goshawk has reduced the amount of available habitat and, as a result, has more than likely attributed to a decline in the population over the long-term.
 
Other Factors
Intrinsic Vulnerability: C=Not intrinsically vulnerable
Comments: Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. may first breed when still subadult (1-2 years old) (McClaren 2003). Birds have a high dispersal capability; will nest annually if appropriate breeding conditions are present (Squires and Reynolds 1997).
Environmental Specificity: C=Moderate. Generalist or community with some key requirements scarce.
Comments: Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. are thought to be habitat generalists, particularly when foraging (Squires and Reynolds 1997). Although they require some degree of mature stand attributes, particularly for nesting, the degree to which specific habitat characteristics are required is currently unknown. Manning et al. (2002) developed a predictive habitat model for north-central Vancouver Island which incorporates various stand structural and other attributes (e.g., stand age, canopy closure, site index, tree species composition, elevation, inter-territorial spacing, etc.), which can then be used to rate habitat suitability and predict potential territory locations. This model is currently being evaluated for predicting habitat suitability for goshawk nesting.
Other Rank Considerations:
 
Information Gaps
Research Needs: i) The relationship between habitat components and Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. reproduction and survival should be explored (BC Minist. of Water, Land and Air Protection 2004), including the effectiveness of forest management/habitat retention practices for maintaining viable goshawk territories in managed landscapes (Manning et al. 2004). These components include the minimum patch size for Nesting Areas and Post Fledging Areas (PFAs), the spatial orientation of these areas in relation to surrounding forest and landscape condition (i.e., stand age, patch size), and the amount of landscape fragmentation that affects successful territory occupancy/reoccupancy and breeding over time.
ii) The subspecific taxonomy of Northern Goshawks needs to be confirmed using modern morphological and genetic techniques. This information needs to be attained for birds from Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands, as well as coastal mainland populations to accurately determine the extent of Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. range in British Columbia.
iii) Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. winter habitat associations, movement patterns and prey use need to be explored and characterized.
Inventory Needs: Known territories should be monitored annually to determine occupancy and productivity. Protected areas (e.g., Strathcona Provincial Park, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Naikoon Provincial Park) should be systematically surveyed using standardized methods (RIC 2001) to determine how many nesting pairs are currently in these types of protected habitats. Goshawk surveys should be conducted in old-growth areas that are proposed for commercial timber harvesting.
 
Stewardship
Protection: Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. is included in the category of species at risk under the B.C. Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA). Wildlife habitat areas and associated general wildlife measures (GWMs) have been established for Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. under the direction of the Identified Wildlife Management Strategy. GWMs for resource management activities conducted within established WHAs must be adhered to by resource managers. In the absence of approved wildlife habitat areas, Notices prepared under section 7 of the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation require that Forest Stewardship Plans include results and strategies to address the amount, distribution and attributres of habitat required by Northern Goshawk, laingi spp., consistent with current timber supply impact limits. Both section 7 Notices and implementation of WHAs for Northern Goshawk, laingi spp. must not impact the mature Timber Harvesting Land Base (THLB) more than legislated amounts for each of the provincial Forest Districts where the species occurs. Within this regulatory framework, the effectiveness of WHAs at conserving adequate long-term habitat for goshawks should be evaluated.
Management: i) Determine the effects of large-scale commercial logging on habitat quality.
ii) Estimate the long-term population trend based on forecasts of the extent and impacts of timber harvesting.
iii) Identify the effects of different forest harvesting practices on prey species abundance and availability throughout the year.
iv) Evaluate ecosystem-based forest management practices that attempt to maintain and improve existing nesting habitat by mimicking natural disturbances.
v) Link the effects of different logging practices (e.g., retention harvesting systems) on occupancy/reoccupancy and productivity at known nest sites.

Exact locations of nest trees should be kept confidential unless release of this information is in the best conservation interests of the birds.
 
Version
Author: T. Manning and P. Chytyk
Date: February 05, 2005
 
References
American Ornithologists' Union. 1957. The American Ornithologists' Union check list of North American Birds, 5th ed., Baltimore, MD. 691pp.
Beebe, F.L. 1974. Field studies of the Falconiformes of British Columbia: vultures, hawks, falcons, eagles. B.C. Prov. Mus. Occas. Pap. No. 17, Victoria, 163pp.
British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection. 2004. "Queen Charlotte" Goshawk in Accounts and measures for managing identified wildlife. British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Victoria, BC. 52pp.
Campbell, R.W., N.K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, et al. 1990b. The Birds of British Columbia Vol. 2: Nonpasserines: Diurnal Birds of Prey through Woodpeckers. Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, BC.
Cannings, R.J. 1998. The Birds of British Columbia - a taxonomic catalogue. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch, Victoria, Wildl. Bull. B-86. 266pp.
Chytyk, P., and K. Dhanwant. 1999b. 1998 Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi) population inventory of the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii - final report. B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch, Smithers, BC. 41pp.
Chytyk, P., J.M. Cooper, and K. Dhanwant. 1997. 1997 Northern Goshawk population inventory of the Queen Charlotte Islands, Haida Gwaii. Unpubl. rep. for B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Smithers, BC. 28pp.
Cooper, J.M., and P. Chytyk. 2001. COSEWIC status report on the Queen Charlotte Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi). Comm. on the Status of Endangered Wildl. in Can., Ottawa. 19pp.
Crocker-Bedford, D.C. 1990. Status of the Queen Charlotte Goshawk in Southeast Alaska. Unpubl. rep. for U.S. For. Serv., Juneau, AK. 16pp.
Crocker-Bedford, D.C. 1994. Conservation of the Queen Charlotte Goshawk in southeast Alaska. Unpubl. rep. prepared as an appendix to Suring, L.H., et al. A proposed strategy for maintaining well-distributed, viable populations of wildlife associated with old-growth forests in southeast Alaska. U.S. Forest Service, Ketchikan, AK.
Doyle, F. 2003. Biological review and interim strategy for goshawks on Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands. B.C. Minist. Water, Land and Air Prot., Smithers. 65pp.
Doyle, Frank. Personal communication. Wildlife Dynamics Consulting, Telkwa, BC.
Iverson, G.C., et al. 1996. Conservation Assessment for the Northern Goshawk in Southeast Alaska. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-387. Pacific Northwest Res. Stn., For. Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric., Portland, OR. 101pp.
Jewett, S.G., et al. 1953. Birds of Washington State. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA.
Johnsgard, P.A. 1990. Northern Goshawk. Pp.176-182 in Hawks, eagles and falcons of North America: biology and natural history. Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington, DC.
Johnson, D.R. 1989. Body size of Northern Goshawks on coastal islands of British Columbia. Wilson Bull. 101:637-639.
Manning, E.T., P. Chytyk, and J.M. Cooper. 2002. Queen Charlotte Goshawk species-habitat model for Canfor TFL 37, Woss, British Columbia. Rep. prep. for Can. For. Products Ltd., Woss, BC. Dec. 2002.
Manning, E.T., P. Chytyk, and J.M. Cooper. 2004. 2004 Northern Goshawk monitoring of Canfor TFL 37, Woss, BC - Canadian Forest Products Ltd., Englewood Division. Can. For. Products Ltd., Woss, BC. 37pp.
McClaren, E. 1997. Queen Charlotte Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi) population inventory summary for Vancouver Island, BC (1996/1997). Unpubl. rep. for B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch, Nanaimo, BC. 25pp.
McClaren, E. 2003. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi) population inventory summary for Vancouver Island, British Columbia (1994-2002). B.C. Minist. Water, Land and Air Prot., Nanaimo. 84pp.
Ministry of Forests. 1998. Species and Plant Community Accounts for Identified Wildlife, Vol. 1. Part of Identified Wildlife Management Strategies for the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia. B.C. Minist. For., and B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC. 171pp.
Resource Inventory Committee. 1997e. Standardized Inventory Methodologies for Components of British Columbia's Biodiversity: Raptors, version 1.1. Prepared for the Resour. Inventory Comm., B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Victoria, BC. 56pp.
Resource Inventory Committee. 2001. Inventory methods for raptors. B.C. Minist. Sustainable Resour. Manage., Environ. Inventory Branch. Version 2.0.
Squires, J.R., and L.F. Ruggiero. 1996. Nest-site preference of northern goshawk in south-central Wyoming. J. Raptor Res. 29:5-9.
Squires, J.R., and R.T. Reynolds. 1997. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) in A. Poole, and F. Gill, eds. The Birds of North America, No. 298. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, PA, and Am. Ornithol. Union, Washington, DC. 32pp.
Talbot, S.L, et al. 2005. Preliminary investigations of genetic relationships among goshawks of Alaska and British Columbia. U.S. Geol. Surv., Alaska Sci. Cent., Anchorage, AK. Feb. 2005. Draft rep
Taverner, P.A. 1940. Variations in American Goshawks. Condor 42:157-160.
Titus, K.C., J. Flatten, and R.E. Lowell. 1994. Northern Goshawk ecology and habitat relationships in the Tongoss National Forest, Rep. prepared for the For. Serv., Alaska Dep. Fish and Game, Wildl. Conserv. Div., Juneau, AK.
Webster, J.K. 1988. Some bird specimens from Sitka, Alaska. Murrelet 69:46-48.
Whaley, W.H., and C.M. White. 1994. Trends in geographic variation of Cooper's hawk and northern goshawk in North America. Proc. West. Found. Vertebr. Zool. 5(3):161-209.
 

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Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2005. Conservation Status Report: Accipiter atricapillus laingi. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 10, 2026).