Headless bird!

[Dirty Karlos]

Anyone know what this is, I found a headless bird, kestrel, or a sparrowhawk maybe?


http://karlos.smugmug.com/photos/393286504_dP689-L.jpg

 

[Shambling Shaman]

kestrel is my opinion.

But there are far more knowledgeable than me - so we will see.

 

[Dirty Karlos]

I'm almost positive that it is a kestrel, I fear it may have had it's head shot off :-(
Any other thoughts on cause of death?

 

[Galemys]

It´s a red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa

Cheers,

Tom

 

[Dirty Karlos]

Just dug out my RSPB book and it would seem you are correct, well done.
Cheers.

bloody kestrel :-/

 

[hedgepig]

Check out the feet! Not raptor claws - should have been your best clue in the absence of a head

Had a look at the your other pictures - hope your thumb is better

 

[spiritofold]

Round here, if a fox gets a bird, it plays around with it then bites its head off, and feeds on it later. Dunno how a fox would catch such a hunter though?

 

[Dirty Karlos]

Check out the feet! Not raptor claws - should have been your best clue in the absence of a head

Had a look at the your other pictures - hope your thumb is better

LOL it is much better thank you, I guess I should take another pic to show the regeneration.

Oh well, at least today I found out where there are Red Kites nesting and I also saw plenty of Buzzards.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

But there are far more knowledgeable than me - so we will see.

Galemys is far more knowledgeable.

As for other thoughts on cause of death - lack of oxygen?

 

[Dirty Karlos]

WOW hedgepig, just checked out your photos!
I'm struggling with my NikonD40 and 55-200mm lens, you must have a whopper, err so to speak.
Great website matey.

 

[redneck]

yep, it's a partridge, should've brought it home and had a nice roast...partridge is luvverly!

 

[hedgepig]

Cheers dude ... its not about size though, its what you do with it

 

[British Red]

Certainly a partridge - bred and released for game shooting. I sincerely doubt that it has been shot - I have seen thousands of shot game birds and never one neatly beheaded like that. Looks like a raptors work to me.

Red

 

[Dirty Karlos]

There are lots of raptors in this area.
Does anyone agree with something I heard recently that Birds of prey kill for fun/sport/because they can? I used to think that they just toook what they needed though I am assured that this isn't the case.

 

[British Red]

Nope, never seen them do that - indeed it would be a very poor strategy to expend more energy than they need. Having been priviliged enough to fly many a raptor from the glove, I can attest to the fact they won't fly at all if not hungry - they will sit stil in a tree whilst digesting their meal. Ask any falconer and they will tell you if you don't ration food any bird of prey will simply refuse to fly as there is no imperative to do so.

Beautiful birds - indeed even the gamekeeper on the shooting farm where we live who loses red legs in just such a way enjoys watching them hunt

Red

 

[steve a]

Sparrowhawks often just take the head of their prey, speaking of which Hedgepig has a very nice picture of one on his website, I like the eyes on that photo. Landscapes are something else as well Hedgepig.

 

[British Red]

The head taking by raptors is usually a method of despatch if the prey is alive when landed or a ground kill. Normally they sieze the spine in flight and kill by breaking it but the head presents itself if the prey is in the correct orientation. They do eat the brain though (indeed they eat most parts). I think when the main carcas is left its likely the predator was disturbed before proceeding to consume the rest.

I wouldn't be surprised if that was a sparrowhawk kill - I have seen them take a pigeon which is much of a size.


Red

 

[Joonsy]

red-legged partridge, remarkably intact other than head, raptors will pull away the breast feathers, looks like the work of a domestic cat to me. it's possible it may have flown into some wire or obstacle of some sort and been decapitated, on my local lake it's common for geese and waterfowl to be mangled by flying into the overhead pylon cables.

 

[scanker]

Nope, never seen them do that - indeed it would be a very poor strategy to expend more energy than they need. Having been priviliged enough to fly many a raptor from the glove, I can attest to the fact they won't fly at all if not hungry - they will sit stil in a tree whilst digesting their meal. Ask any falconer and they will tell you if you don't ration food any bird of prey will simply refuse to fly as there is no imperative to do so.

Indeed. I was told this was the origin of the phrase "fed up". Quite a few phrases/words in common use have falconry origins, although hoodwinked is the only other one I can think of atm.

 

[robin wood]

I am surprised to hear lots of folk suspecting Sparrowhawk, I would have gone straight for fox with a small possibility of cat. I have seen many chickens dispatched by fox in exactly that way, clean snip no feather removal. I always thought the first thing a sparrowhawk did was start plucking (I used to fly one many years ago and don't remember it snipping heads first)

Partridge is a ground bird which runs and takes to the wing reluctantly and I suspect is more common prey for fox than sparrowhawk which only take prey on the wing.

I think location would give us clues too, sparrowhawk would catch it on the wing and fly to the nearest perch with it, pluck it a bit then off to a favourite quiet perch to feed. If it is in the open again it looks more like fox or cat. Not sure about cats method of eating birds but with bunnies its always head first.

Just a few thoughts...its rarely possible to be certain what killed something but interesting to study different preds eating habits.