De Havik Accipiter gentilis in en om Amsterdam

A survey of breeding attempts of Goshawks in and near the city of Amsterdam was made. The nearest regular breeding areas are found in Het Gooi and in the marshes of Naardermeer and Vechtplassen, 10-15 km SW of Amsterdam. Breeding was confirmed in Buitenveldert (Amsterdam) in 1986-88 (at least 1, 2 and 1 fledglings, respectively), Peneiland in the IJmeer since 1986 (breeding success not quantified), Volgermeerpolder in 1991-93 (not successful), Ilperveld in 1992-94 (at least 1, 2 and 1 fledglings respectively), Diemerzeedijk in 1992-94 (3, 3 and 2 fledglings respectively) and Kooilust east of the Amsterdam-Rijn canal in 1993 (unknown number of fledglings). Since then, two of these breeding sites were lost due to habitat destruction (Buitenveldert and Kooilust). The present breeding attempts are consistent with the spread of Goshawks to suburbans and farmland in the western part of The Netherlands.