2023 split
Northern Goshawk split: ours is American Goshawk
In 2023 Northern Goshawk became two species. The goshawk of North America is now American Goshawk; Eurasian Goshawk lives in Europe and Asia.
Updated
What changed
The goshawk of North America, from Alaska and Canada south into Mexico.
Europe and Asia. In North America only a very rare stray, with a few records from Labrador and Alaska.
Who decided, and when
- American Ornithological Society (AOS): the 64th Supplement to its Check-list of North American birds
- eBird and the Clements Checklist: its 2023 taxonomy update
- AviList, the shared world checklist: agrees, with the same names
Which one did you see?
Go by where you saw it: in North America, it's American Goshawk.
Its scientific name has changed since, too: in 2024 eBird, and in 2025 the AOS, moved it from Accipiter to Astur, with Cooper's Hawk.
What it does to your list
For birders in the US and Canada it's a new name only: your Northern Goshawk is now American Goshawk.
If you have also seen a goshawk in Europe or Asia, the split adds one to your total.
Check your own list. Drop your eBird download or type your birds: the free checker shows which of them this and other recent changes touched.
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