Saw something new today... Sparrowhawk? killing a pigeon. (Graphic pictures)

[Hypnagog]

I was sitting at my computer today when there was a loud thud against the patio door.

I got up and saw this...

At first glance I thought it was an injured bird flapping around, but then realised that it was two birds and one was plucking the feathers from the other.

The Sparrowhawk quickly plucked the feathers and began to get to the meat, looking up and around after each peck.

I watched, mesmerised, for about 15 minutes and took photos so that I could ID the bird later.

I think that it's a male Sparrowhawk but I am ready to be told otherwise as I don't know much about birds.



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

All I can think of is that the pigeon was being chased or swerved to avoid the predator and ended up smashing into the glass.



I think it was aware of me, but as I was behind glass in my kitchen and was pretty still I didn't alarm it.

I went into another room to get some photos from a different angle, but startled it - and to my surprise it picked the remains of the pigeon up in it's claws and flew off with it.

I managed to get a photo of that, but it isn't great.

 

[Macaroon]

Great pictures...........There've been a lot of these in my area these past few years; ruthless and highly efficient killers......
I always think it's a great priveledge to witness such things.

 

[Essexman]

They like to pop into town for dinner now and then. We've had one just like that in our garden some years ago. Other times we just find the feathers in the garden.

Those eyes! Amazing birds.

 

[quietone]

Oh.. You lucky lucky chap.. Saw a similar thing many years ago, but it was a peregrine.. Never forgot it, as said, a real treat and a privilege to see. Great pictures too.

 

[wingstoo]

Brilliant pictures, I have seen a lot of pigeon "remains" on an area I walk now and then, but I think it might be a buzzard rather than anything smaller...

Maybe worth putting your photo's forward to the local newspapers or magazine...Or to the RSPB?

 

[crowded-solitude]

That's quite a capture. I remember disturbing a buzzard chowing down on a rabbit in my tree house when i was a kid. but im pretty sure your right its a sparrowhawk.

 

[Hypnagog]

Thanks all.

I guess I was in the right place at the right time.

It's struck me how many times I've seen piles of feathers and bits of left-over pigeon in open spaces, but I'd always assumed that they'd been the remains of a fox-kill (or lawnmower) but after seeing the mess left behind by the sparrowhawk I now realise that maybe these other times were bird-kills too.

 

[Gill]

Great pictures buddy I would have felt very lucky to have saw that, cheers.

 

[JonathanD]

Cool. My favourite British bird.

 

[atlatlman]

Brilliant pics Hypnagog. We have Sparrow hawks which regularly come into my garden to catch prey. I have bird feeders all over the place which must attract them. One even swooped down and caught a blackbird and started to pluck it while my daughter was sitting on the grass eating a sandwich about ten feet away. I've also heard some sparrow hawks drown their prey in puddles.

 

[atlatlman]

Warning graphic vid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Ycdt-agOA

 

[Rabbitsmacker]

That video is amazing. You can even see the light bulb moment when the hawk realises the magpie is resisting too much and the water is spotted, its like "ah just what I need....". Very clever.

As for the pics, very lucky and wish I could have seen it first hand. I keep finding very neat distribution of feathers on my local field when walking the dog. I assumed fox kill as well but never found a body. I alway thought hawks just ripped the breasts off and left the rest? Maybe something elseis then taking the carcass away after?

 

[atlatlman]

That video is amazing. You can even see the light bulb moment when the hawk realises the magpie is resisting too much and the water is spotted, its like "ah just what I need....". Very clever.

As for the pics, very lucky and wish I could have seen it first hand. I keep finding very neat distribution of feathers on my local field when walking the dog. I assumed fox kill as well but never found a body. I alway thought hawks just ripped the breasts off and left the rest? Maybe something elseis then taking the carcass away after?

Very clever birds.

 

[Bluebs4]

Great picys ,had pigeons for a while but got sick of the peregrines nabbing them at up to 200 + mph a 50 mph pigeon is a sitting duck lol.

 

[xylaria]

Last year a while digging in garden a blackbird flew out of the woodland persued by a sparrowhawk. She dodged death by dropping down then sitting right next us. She looked utterly terrified. She sat there two foot away for an hour. It might explain why your bird was going for the window.