🐦 Today's Bird｜Crested Goshawk

The Crested Goshawk is a common medium-sized bird of prey in Taiwan and is also a native subspecies. Its most striking feature is the small crest of short feathers at the back of its head. Its face and head are mouse-gray, and its eyes are bright yellow or orange-yellow. The chest is white with dense reddish-brown vertical streaks, and the abdomen has dense dark horizontal stripes; the tail also has several dark horizontal bands. In flight, its white undertail coverts puff out to the sides, a very recognizable feature. It mainly inhabits low to mid-altitude forests but can also adapt to orchards, campuses, and urban parks, appearing wherever there are taller trees. It often perches high up, quietly waiting for prey before suddenly swooping down to catch it. Its diet includes small birds, rodents, lizards, frogs, and large insects. It is highly territorial and will even drive away other birds of prey entering its domain. 🌿 Fun Fact The Crested Goshawk has an interesting 'reverse' characteristic: the female is much larger than the male. When the two are standing together, the size difference is quite noticeable, with females averaging about 8-15% larger than males. Additionally, Taiwan's Crested Goshawks have gradually adapted to urban environments, so even if you live in the city, you have a chance to see them in parks or on campuses.