Havik Accipiter gentilis met abces

During raptor surveys in the forestry of Emraen during 1998, a female nestling Goshawk (24 days old. in a nest with 4 young) was found with a swelling above the right upper mandible (Photo 1); the bird was in good condition (840 g). Two weeks later, this female was found dead and emaciated (560 g, wing length showed retarded growth) underneath the nest; the subcutaneous swelling had grown considerably (Photo 2), having disjointed the lower mandible by some 5 mm. and intruded into the eye- socket en through the palate. The puss was cheesy-yellowish and odourless. The proximate cause of death was starvation, the bird having been unable to open its bill by more than a few mm and consequently having become anorectic.