Eurasian goshawk spotted for the first time at Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary

The Eurasian goshawk has been spotted in Maharashtra at least three times before. File Pic

A recent sighting at Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary has once again underscored the ecological richness of the region. A Eurasian goshawk - a medium-large raptor - was spotted by a forest guard during routine patrolling.

Yogesh Shid, a forester at Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary with a deep interest in documenting the region's biodiversity, shared his experience with Mid-Day.

"On the evening of March 8, after completing foot patrol, we were resting near a water body in the forest. While observing the area, I noticed a bird approaching to drink. It immediately struck me as an unusual species, so I quickly took a photograph. Later, I identified it as a Eurasian goshawk. This is the first recorded sighting of this species in Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary," Shid said.

The Eurasian goshawk has been recorded in Maharashtra at least three times before. This bird of prey is widely distributed across Europe, Asia, and parts of North America and is considered a winter visitor to India, according to birding enthusiasts.

Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary is already renowned for its rich avian diversity. Among its notable discoveries is the critically endangered Forest Owlet, which was first documented in the sanctuary in October 2014 by wildlife enthusiast Sunil Laad and his friends. This sighting drew widespread attention and highlighted the need to conserve the sanctuary's avian habitat.

The Forest Owlet is classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, signifying a high risk of extinction. Previously believed to be endemic only to the Satpura mountain ranges in central India, its discovery in the Western Ghats has provided renewed hope for the species' survival.