Grey Goshawk vs Griffon Vulture

Accipiter novaehollandiae compared with Gyps fulvus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Grey Goshawk Griffon Vulture
Scientific Name Accipiter novaehollandiae Gyps fulvus
Order Accipitriformes Accipitriformes
Family Accipitridae Accipitridae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length 100.0 cm (39.4 in)
Wingspan 52.4 cm (20.6 in) 260.0 cm (102.4 in)
Weight 572.0 g (20.18 oz) 8500.0 g (299.83 oz)
Diet -- Exclusively carrion, primarily large mammal carcasses. Feeds communally, with groups of vultures able to strip …
Clutch Size 1-5 1
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Grey Goshawk
Griffon Vulture 100.0 cm
Wingspan
Grey Goshawk 52.4 cm
Griffon Vulture 260.0 cm
Weight
Grey Goshawk 572.0 g
Griffon Vulture 8500.0 g
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Grey Goshawk only

None

Griffon Vulture only

Griffon Vulture

Mountains, cliffs, and open grasslands. Nests on cliff ledges in colonies. Requires thermals for soaring flight.

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Song & Call Comparison

Grey Goshawk

Griffon Vulture

Song

Generally silent; hisses and grunts at carrion with other vultures. Gives low croaking 'arrr' near nest. At colonies produces cackling and grunting — not melodic vocalizations.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Grey Goshawk

Griffon Vulture

Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Resident in most of its range.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Grey Goshawk

Least Concern

Griffon Vulture

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How to Tell Them Apart

Grey Goshawk

Griffon Vulture

Plumage

Tawny-brown body with darker flight feathers. White neck ruff and bare greyish head. Long broad wings held flat when soaring.

Bill

Hooked yellowish bill adapted for tearing carrion

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About These Birds

Grey Goshawk

The Grey Goshawk (<em>Accipiter novaehollandiae</em>) is a medium-sized raptor of the family Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles & Kites), native to Australia and nearby islands. It occupies a range of habitats including forest and grassland, making it one of the more habitat-versatile members of its genus. Detailed plumage and behavioral descriptions of this species are limited in the available literature for this record, though the Grey Goshawk is notable for occurring in both a grey-and-white morph and a pure white morph, the …

Griffon Vulture

The griffon vulture is one of Europe's largest flying birds and a crucial scavenger in Mediterranean ecosystems. These social birds nest in large cliff colonies and can soar for hours using thermals without flapping. Vulture populations faced a crisis from the veterinary drug diclofenac, which proved fatal when consumed through contaminated carcasses.

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Related Comparisons

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