Evidence for heterochrony in the evolution of the goshawk Accipiter gentilis (Accipitridae, Aves)

Abstract

An analysis of the growth patterns of two close relatives of the genus Accipiter (the European sparrowhawk A. nisus and the European goshawk A. gentilis) was conducted, in order to elucidate a possible mechanism for the evolution of the ontogeny of the goshawk from that of its presumed smaller ancestor. After allowing for isometric scaling, the ontogeny of the goshawk is shown to be clearly accelerated in relation to that of their presumed smaller ancestral relative.