Breeding habitats of Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) and Goshawks (A. gentilis) in the Southern Alps
FASOLA M. and ZANGHELLINI S.Abstract:
The breeding habitats of Goshawks and Sparrowhawks were studied at the level of the nest site, of the area close to the nest, and of the presumed home range. The generai features of the home ranges of the two hawks coincided. In contrast, both the territories and the nest sites differed sharply: compared to the Sparrowawk, the Goshawk preferred territories where trees were older, bigger, and spaced at wider distances, and where the shrub and tree cover was lower, and the grass cover was higher. These preferences may be related to the size difference, and to interference competition between the two hawks.