Northern goshawk: Red Data Book of Armenia

Hawks and eagles — Accipitridae

Status. A non–migratory species of limited distribution. Listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 3.1) as Least Concern. According to IUCN criteria categorized as Vulnerable VU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D1.

Distribution. Distributed in Great Britain, France, Denmark, Portugal, Greece and Syria.

Distribution in Armenia. Forest zone in almost all parts of Armenia.

Habitats. Lives in dense forests with glades and hunts in the places of residence.

Population size and its trends. Guesstimates show that today’s population size of the goshawk in Armenia is about 40–60 pairs.

Major threats. Direct persecution by humans has been the most imminent threat. Another threat comes from rampant development of the falconry market in the Middle East which provokes poaching for sales or home rearing. In 2008, 60 individuals were kept at the EARAZA zoos.

Conservation measures. At least 3 pairs breed in Sevan National Park and Dilijan National Park, as well as in Khosrov Forest Reserve. Possibly, it is also present in Shikahogh Reserve. Considering a quite small population size and the imminence of threats, it is essential to develop and apply measures directed towards the conservation of nesting sites and awareness–raising. It is also important to set stringent control over poaching and to increase the rates of fines.