Goshawk as predators of grey squirrel in Gloucestershire, by Anna Field

The Gloucestershire Raptor Monitoring Group has been studying the diet of goshawk using nest trail cameras for the five years 2017-22. In many nests the non-native grey squirrel constitutes a high proportion of prey delivered by the adults. Grey squirrel can cause significant damage to trees, recently estimated to cost £37 million a year across England and Wales, and considerable time and money is spent on grey squirrel control. It is expected that a breeding pair of goshawk can provide a form of natural pest control of grey squirrel in the woodland in which they nest, and this article discusses ways in which woodland managers can support them. Download the full article by Anna in PDF format below.