American Marten (Martes americana) and Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) simultaneously attack Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

• Published in: The Canadian Field-Naturalist
• Main Authors: Graves, Brent, Petschke, Suzanne
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club 2023
• Subjects: Northern Goshawk; Accipiter gentilis; American Marten; Martes americana; Gray Squirrel; Sciurus carolinensis; predation; American marten
• Online Access: https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/3005; https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v136i4.3005

A Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) was observed following an American Marten (Martes americana). The marten’s attempts to capture a Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) forced the squirrel into the open where the goshawk repeatedly attempted to capture it as the marten chased it through the trees. Attacks on prey flushed by heterospecific predators have been reported for a few other raptors, but this type of interaction has not been reported previously for either goshawks or martens.