Can anyone help ID this bird of prey?

[Black Sheep]

Hi,

Can anyone one help us to identify this bird of prey that was stripping a pigeon in our garden a few weeks back?

Sorry about the poor photo's I was out at the time and got a call from my wife and had to talk her through how to use my camera.

At first we thought it was Sparrow hawk but after reading several books and looking on the net' we're not sure or is it a Goshawk?

Anyone got any idea?

Cheers

Richard

 

[Pikebite]

Looks like a female sparrowhawk to me.

 

[Barney]

Looks like a male Goshawk to me, a pity the bottom photo is not a bit clearer, the Goshawk usually sports a definite white "eyebrow". Legs look long enough for a Goshawk though.

 

[robin wood]

qyick response without checking the books I would say male sparrowhawk. Though poor light it definitely has the look of gray back and rusty coloured front where the female and gos are more brown. Pigeon kill in the garden both fit spar too

 

[firecrest]

male sparrowhawk
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...=sparrowhawk&start=63&ndsp=21&um=1&hl=en&sa=N

 

[ecobandit]

goshawk,it appears to have feathered legs,a sparrow hawk has no feathers on its legs!

 

[dogwood]

I think the feathers on the legs tell the story -- I think it's a goshawk too.

Lovely animals...

 

[robin wood]

goshawk,it appears to have feathered legs,a sparrow hawk has no feathers on its legs!

Very interesting, you learn something every day

male spar no eye stripe, no feathered legs

female spar eye stripe no feathered legs

gos eye stripe and feathered legs

 

[JimN]

Maybe it's a transbirdual? It appears to have the tan chest of a male sparrowhawk, the thinner eye-stripe of the female sparrowhawk and the feathered legs of a goshawk.

:thinkerg:

 

[Barney]

Jim, the immature Goshawks start out brownish and then change to grey/blue as they mature, it could be a youngster from this season.

All the same a beautiful bird and very lucky to find one locally .

A Goshawk hunting squirrels through the trees is a sight to behold.

 

[Black Sheep]

Hi All,

Just checked for posts this morning as Ecobandit said it was the feathered legs that confused me also I'd read that male Sparrow Hawks would only take smaller birds like Blackbirds or Thrush's. Were as a Female Sparrow Hawk would take pigeons and a male Goshawk is about the size of a Female SH.

I forgot to mention that it went out later the evening to clear up the feathers that was all that was left it had taken the Caracas with it.

Interesting that Barney mentioned Squirrels we live in quite an urban area with at least five small wooded areas most are populated with Grey squirrels.

I think this bird is one of a pair that has been nesting in some tall laurels opposite our house and I found a Blackbird still warm but part plucked on the flowerbed last weekend (I think the dog frightened what ever off).

Just wish I'd been home to take some photos.

Thanks everyone

Richard

 

[firecrest]

Immature male sparrowhawks do have an eyestripe, as shown in the picture I posted. However its legs do look more like the goshawk...but its the right colour for a sparrowhawk!

 

[firecrest]

Plus Goshawks are rare, especially in York, it would be quite amazing to have them nesting in your garden.

 

[leon-1]

Interesting thread. It does raise a question or two.

I was at Eagle heights a little while ago and one of the birds they had there was exquisite, he was a Merlin cross Peregrine Falcon. He had not been bred in captivity.

From talking to the staff there apparently it does happen that some species will breed with others within the bird world. So maybe you are all correct, maybe it's a male crossbreed of a Goshawk and a Sparrowhawk, this way you get the colouring and the feathered legs.

Only a thought.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

I am know expert IDer, but I think the RSPB site can give definitive descriptions ?

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goshawk/index.asp

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/sparrowhawk/index.asp

As far as I remember the Sparrowhawk tears and plucks the feathers leaving a distinctive pattern ?

Nick

 

[Barn Owl]

Can't get past Sparrowhawk due to the reddish colouring.

Don't have experience of xbreeds,so can't comment on that.

Certainly has Goshawk like leg feathering in photo,intruiging.

 

[Scrimmy]

It is a sparrowhawk, and Goshawks and Sparrowhawks do not naturally breed, Sparrowhawks are food for Goshawks. But to give it a chance, what sort of country do you live in, e.g. hilly, urban, heavily wooded, decidouse, conifers? Was it a woodpigeon? Although it is a Sparrowhawk. Cain

 

[Black Sheep]

It is a sparrowhawk, and Goshawks and Sparrowhawks do not naturally breed, Sparrowhawks are food for Goshawks. But to give it a chance, what sort of country do you live in, e.g. hilly, urban, heavily wooded, decidouse, conifers? Was it a woodpigeon? Although it is a Sparrowhawk. Cain

Scrimmy,

I live at the top of a hill over looking a large housing estate, within a 1/2 mile radius there is several wooded areas with mostly deciduous trees and a small nature reserve.

Not sure what sort of pigeon it was lots for grey and a few black feathers nothing else left behind. Also we get Woodies and Doves in the garden but there's usually some racers doing the rounds as well

I've posted another photo that was taken, but the two at the start of thread were the best.

Interesting to see it's not just me who's confused

Richard

 

[Scrimmy]

Well with that information I can tell you that it is a Sparrowhawk and that its on a Collared Dove, I would say it was a Musket also due to the colouration. Still a nice sight though.Cheers Cain

 

[robin wood]

Well with that information I can tell you that it is a Sparrowhawk and that its on a Collared Dove, I would say it was a Musket also due to the colouration. Still a nice sight though.Cheers Cain

My we are getting certain about it aren't we. Collared doves round here are creamy brown not grey but we are not trying to identify the prey.

I would like anyone who still thinks its a spar to find me a picture on the web that has anything like those feathered legs. I have tried in vain and I have looked at a lot.
this link takes you to lots
http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=sparrowhawk&&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18
and here are a couple of males

and females

nice vid here of a spar feeding which does look quite similar
http://www.hawk-conservancy.org/images/video/Sparrowhawk feeding.wmv
The clincher for me though is not just the legs but the breadth of the chest and the sleekness of the whole beast, all the gos pics I have seen somehow look as if they are wearing neoprene, there is a tightness to the feathers where the spar tends to look more fluffy with a few feathers out of place. I know spars are common visitors to suburban gardens and Gos are not but I think there is a strong chance it is gos. We really need it to come back for some better pics, they do tend to be creatures of habit.

Edit just watched that video again with it open in a window alongside the picture in the original post and it looks bang on, when it leans forward the legs do look feathered just as in the pics so now I am back to sparrowhawk, which was always the more likely option since they are a lot commoner, especially in gardens.