MATERIALS FOR THE STUDY OF THE GOSHAWK <i>ACCIPITER GENTILIS</i> (L., 1758) IN ALTAI
Goshawk studies were carried out on Altai Territory and in the Altai Republic during the 2005-2020 field seasons simultaneously with the study of other birds of prey. The habitats of the hawk have been established in the lower reaches of the Biya River (the vicinity of S. Zaozernoye), in the Pre-Altai plain (Zmeinogorsky district), in the foothills of the Seminsky Range (valleys of the Setovochka, Zhernovka and Bolshaya Biryuksa rivers, on the watershed on the left bank of the Peschanaya River), in the South-Eastern Altai (the valley of the Jazator River at the mouth of the Akbul River), as well as within the Salair ridge in the valley of the Chumysh River. Observations were made on 8 nests, in the foothills of the Seminsky Range - six (75.0%) nests were located on birches, and one each (12.5%) - on aspen and larch. All buildings were located in the lower or middle part of the crown at a height of 5.2-12.0 m from the ground, six of them (75.0%) were in the forks of birch and aspen trunks, two (25.0%) were at the base of the lateral branches of birch and larch. The death of a goshawk from electric shock on power line supports throughout the Republic of Altai and Altai Territory has been registered. The database on the territorial distribution and abundance, habitats, nesting biology of the goshawk has been supplemented. The goshawk is a common but not numerous species in Altai. It inhabits for the most part the foothills and adjacent forest-steppe plains both in the breeding season and in winter. In the Southwestern and Northeastern Altai, it is quite rare in all seasons of the year. The main limiting factors of the large hawk population are bird-hazardous power lines, forestry activities, damage from pesticides used in agriculture, and due to senseless shooting at the opening of the hunting season, as well as extermination under the false pretext of harmfulness, especially by pigeon breeders. The data obtained can be used to improve regional measures for the protection of biodiversity.