Northern Goshawk 



The northern goshawk is a foraging habitat generalist species known to nest in a variety of stand 

 conditions, from stem exclusion to old growth. In Wyoming, goshawks nested extensively in 

 lodgepole pine stands (Squires and Ruggiero 1996). Throughout Oregon and Washington, 

 goshawks nested in a variety of forest stand structures and species composition, with nest trees 

 ranging from 9 - 50 inches dbh and nest stand basal area averaging >76 ft7ac (lower 95% 

 confidence interval; McGrath et al. 2003). Because goshawks have home ranges >5000 acres, 

 the analysis area includes the project area and extends for a 1-mile radius from its borders. 

 Within the analysis area, there are at least 304 acres of potential nesting habitat spread 

 throughout the DNRC parcels that have an average stand diameter >9 inches dbh with a basal 

 area >70 ft"/ac, after querying the Stand Level Inventory database, and approximately 143 acres 

 within the project area. Of these acres, approximately 79 acres of potential nesting habitat would 

 be affected by the proposed actions (Table 4-11). Thus, approximately 45% and 74% of the 

 potential nesting habitat within the project and analysis areas, respectively, would not be affected 

 by the proposed actions. Additionally, proposed harvests that resemble mixed severity fires in 

 Alternatives B and C would likely accelerate the schedule by which approximately 41 acres (Alt. 

 B) and 54 acres (Alt. C) of habitat would likely become potential nesting habitat. The affected 

 stands currently have the necessary minimum average stand diameter, but are deficient in basal 

 area. Through harvests that resemble mixed severity fires in these stands, competition would be 

 reduced among the remaining ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir, and their respective basal areas 

 would increase more rapidly than if the stands were not thinned. Additionally, at least 53% of 

 the potential goshawk-nesting habitat occurs outside of the project area and would remain 

 unharvested under each action alternative. 



Most of the analysis area's potential nesting habitat occurs within Section 16, T8N, R15W, and is 

 fragmented by prior harvest activities and pastureland. However, it is connected with suitable 

 habitat on adjacent USPS land in Section 15. Based on the fragmentation pattern and topography 

 within Section 16, the most likely location for nesting would be within a draw feature along the 

 south-central boundary of the section (McGrath et al. 2003). Thus, with potential nesting habitat 

 on DNRC lands in Section 16, and adjacent habitat on USPS lands in Sections 15, 22, and 27, the 

 proposed action alternatives would likely have low risk of negative effects on goshawk nesting 

 habitat. 



Affected acres of potentially suitable goshawk nesting habitat, by action alternative and harvest 

 intensity. Potential nesting habitat was identified by the Stand Level Inventory as stands with an 

 average stand diameter >9 inches dbh and basal area >70 ft"/ac. Within the project and analysis 

 areas, there are at least 143 and 304 acres, respectively, of potential nesting habitat (Stand Level 

 Inventory database). 



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