Goshawk predation on grey squirrels

[Cyres]

Friends have a place in mid Devon. 30 acres of which 25 is mix of very old woodland and 25 Yr old new mixed plantations. Every year alive with squirrels yet this year 1 hour stalk in early am with thermal not one squirrel to be seen. Previously I would have seen double figures and shot 50%. No other persons shooting ground. Just surreal.
Last year pair of resident breeding Goshawks in neighbours wood.
Would it be feasible that a pair of Goshawks could decimate a grey squirrel population?
D

 

[tozzybum]

Hope this helps but yes they like a chew on a squizzer

 

[Smellydog]

The buzzards here take them also .
Our gos numbers are up and they have cleaned the magpies up a treat!

 

[jall55]

To be ho

Friends have a place in mid Devon. 30 acres of which 25 is mix of very old woodland and 25 Yr old new mixed plantations. Every year alive with squirrels yet this year 1 hour stalk in early am with thermal not one squirrel to be seen. Previously I would have seen double figures and shot 50%. No other persons shooting ground. Just surreal.
Last year pair of resident breeding Goshawks in neighbours wood.
Would it be feasible that a pair of Goshawks could decimate a grey squirrel population?
D

To be honest No - we have Gos and still have squirrels
Off out shortly

Some days i can go out and shoot a dozen - the day before or after i ask a pal and they see none

Even with thermal they can be hard to spot

 

[deerstalker.308]

Rather depends what else is available for them, if it’s a ready supply and a small isolated wood, yes easy for them to have hammered them, of the gos nests I monitor some clearly favour certain prey species over others, the ground under some littered with squirrel bones, others favour pheasants and pigeons etc

 

[Ratel]

Grey's, Reds, Black game or anything up to hare size for them.

 

[Robs]

We have Goshawks but squirrels just the same as usual. Pigeons are not so numerous.

 

[jall55]

They have hammered the corvids in our wood
Particularly the jays and the magpies
I have seen the chasing crows too
Brutal but spectacular birds

 

[tozzybum]

We had a good 5 young buzzard chick's mature last season and squirrel central was hammered.

 

[Cyres]

Just back from 3 days in Devon. Didn't see a squirrel or magpie. Pigeon all but vanished. Something is nailing them and it's not human.
D

 

[Nick703]

Have you ever tried to skin a squirrel,if goses were living on squirrel they’d have to start eating from the squirrel mouth or eye then turning the skin inside out as they eat,the woodland floor would be littered in squirrel skins,just the skin alone would be a large crop full for the largest of female goshawks.
Yes they do take them but soon learn there not worth the effort or the bites and lameness

 

[Smellydog]

Have you ever tried to skin a squirrel,if goses were living on squirrel they’d have to start eating from the squirrel mouth or eye then turning the skin inside out as they eat,the woodland floor would be littered in squirrel skins,just the skin alone would be a large crop full for the largest of female goshawks.
Yes they do take them but soon learn there not worth the effort or the bites and lameness

Or take the young.



I was watching a male Gos working roosting pigeon. Never saw me. Looks like an oversized sparrow hawk and just as agile.... nearly.

 

[jall55]

Just back from 3 days in Devon. Didn't see a squirrel or magpie. Pigeon all but vanished. Something is nailing them and it's not human.
D

Morning mate
I would not read too much into it to be honest
We have a fairly large wood - at times its a hub for pigeon a day later nothing

Same with the squirrels - i thought where are they all ? - The week after i shot 19
Its a funny time of the year as they are high up in the trees or even mainly resting in their dreys
Magpies the same - they have flocked up and are not territorial yet

 

[deerstalker.308]

Have you ever tried to skin a squirrel,if goses were living on squirrel they’d have to start eating from the squirrel mouth or eye then turning the skin inside out as they eat,the woodland floor would be littered in squirrel skins,just the skin alone would be a large crop full for the largest of female goshawks.
Yes they do take them but soon learn there not worth the effort or the bites and lameness

Trust me we get plenty and all the is normally evident if the tail left behind.

 

[Jon P]

if they are like my Harris Hawk, extremely keen on Squirrels until they get a few good bites of them, they give them a bit more respect then if other food sources are available.

 

[Camdig]

Buzzards actively hunt squirrels i have witnessed on many occasions.
Wouldn't suprise me if a Gos was doing the same.

 

[jall55]

Buzzards actively hunt squirrels i have witnessed on many occasions.
Wouldn't suprise me if a Gos was doing the same.

Gos are well known as squirrel hunters - but to empty a wood - No

 

[Camdig]

Gos are well known as squirrel hunters - but to empty a wood - No

Why not? Time of year prey thin ground, Squirrels have to come out to their stash at some point, opportunistic predator utilising a food source

 

[Bowland blades]

Gos are experts at woodland hunting and like Humans some are better hunters than others ! One Gos on 30 acres and a winter walk about ? Yeah ! You might only have an odd few squirrels you didn't see or even none at all at this point . More will come in though , just like rats if the habitat suits them .
I think its a very good thing to hear . I go out of my way to get just the odd wandering grey onto my little wood . Bad for the trees and the birds and horrendous if they get into a loft space

 

[Nick703]

Or take the young.



I was watching a male Gos working roosting pigeon. Never saw me. Looks like an oversized sparrow hawk and just as agile.... nearly.

There’s a pair near me in a very large local public forest and the male is female spar size and the female is like a small male Finnish gos and don’t usually have a large nest,another local pair are buzzard size and there nest is usually 4ft across