Strange bird

[Gotte]

I'm not much of a bird spotter though do know my pheasant from my owl. I've just seen two strange birds in a tree across the way. They had much the same body shape as pigeons, and similar colouring, even having some sort of collar around their necks, but were much bigger - the size maybe of a pheasant or buzzard. Never seen them before. They were maybe thirty feet up.

Anyone any ideas what they might b?

 

[Toddy]

We get big fat wood pigeons here......cushiedoos.....they can be nearly twice the size of the ordinary pigeons and their being in the trees is normal for them.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[robin wood]

yep I'd say woodpigeon, maybe half as big again as feral pigeon and on a cold day with feathers fluffed up appear bigger still.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Have a look at wood pigeons on Google images....

 

[Gotte]

Had a look, and can see how they could very well have been woodpigeons, except for the size. They were truly big. I would have said about two foot, minimum. Can woodpigeons get that big? I read that the biggest they get is 45 cm. Like I said, I'm not a birdspotter, but am used to seeing birds about, especially in the woods the back of my house, and these were unusual enough for me to get my binoculars.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

I would have said about two foot, minimum. Can woodpigeons get that big?

Nope.........

It can be difficult judging size at this time of year due to lack of scale...........if they looked like woodies i.e. same colour,markings, body shape etc. then they may well have been..............................
can you remember their beak shape,? if they had little pigeon like beaks then they can't be anything else.

 

[Gotte]

yes, their heads were much like pigeons, including the collar round the neck. So, if they couldn't have been anything else, will put it down to misjudgement of size. Not that I am a hunter (other than trout fishing), but I imagine a woodsman could have made a really decent pie out of them.
I do like pigeon pie, as well.

 

[Adze]

Photo shamelessly stolen from and hotlink to somewhere else on the web...

 

[Harvestman]

This time of year pigeons fluff their feathers up for extra insulation against the cold, which can make them look huge.

 

[Bigfoot]

Might also be a collared dove, although they are a good bit smaller than a wood pigeon, so the answer is probably a woodie.

 

[Robbi]

help ! i can't remember the name !!....there was a thread and photo's on here with these birds in someones garden,....something...Hen..maybe ? or........ Guinea fowl !!

http://www.guinea-fowl.co.uk/GuineaFowlGallery/pages/18.htm

 

[mountainm]

Wood pigeons are German and continually ask where you live..

Wo wohnst du? Wo wohnst du?