Anybody any good with birds?

kleefarr

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(The feathered type. ;) )

We were sitting in the lounge this afternoon and heard a thud which seemed to come from the front door area. We looked out the lounge window and saw this on the front lawn.

Kestrel_1.jpg


Kestrel_2.jpg


Kestrel_3.jpg


My first thoughts were Kestrel, but then I thought Kestrels don't kill wood pigeons just small stuff like mice etc and they are brownish.

Is this a Falcon?

I actually videoed the event until it flew off and have taken the stills from the vid.


Does anyone know what it is?
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rolfw

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That's a female sparrow hawk. This is the male in my garden. :)
 

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Looks like a Falco peregrinus (Peregrine Falcon) m8!
 

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P.S.....Peregrines can reach speeds close to 320 km-h in a downward dive, so it's surprising he did'nt make a bigger hole when he tried to fly through poor pigy :D
 

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No Wavey, it isn't a peregrine, they have a black cup under the eye. Pretty sure that you'll find it's a Sparrow Hawk, it's smaller than the pigeon for a start.
 

kleefarr

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waverider said:
P.S.....Peregrines can reach speeds close to 320 km-h in a downward dive, so it's surprising he did'nt make a bigger hole when he tried to fly through poor pigy :D

The hole was made after the attack. While it was eating.
 

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waverider said:
P.S.....Peregrines can reach speeds close to 320 km-h in a downward dive,

African or European ?
 

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@ Rolfw sorry m8...Sparrow Hawks ain't slate grey!
 

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Oh yes they are mate,
 

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kleefarr said:
We were sitting in the lounge this afternoon and heard a thud which seemed to come from the front door area. We looked out the lounge window and saw this on the front lawn.
Fantastic pictures! That is so cool....

BTW, your grass needs cutting. :p

I'm no expert, but this is a sparrowhawk, and it's remarkably similar...

sparrowhawk3.JPG
 

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Rolfw is right, it is indeed a female sparrowhawk, quite often to be found flying into
peoples patio windows, knocking themselves out whilst after their prey.
The female is also about a third bigger than the male.
Nice pics, Kleefarr.
 

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Your right, i know my sparrow Hawks, they treat my garden and feeders as a picnic area. :)
 

kleefarr

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BGonaSTICK said:
Fantastic pictures! That is so cool....

BTW, your grass needs cutting. :p

- Yeah! But I only cut it 5 days ago! It's all that clover and rain!

BGonaSTICK said:
I'm no expert, but this is a sparrowhawk, and it's remarkably similar...

sparrowhawk3.JPG

Agreed, it does look very much like it.
 

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kleefarr

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prof said:
Rolfw is right, it is indeed a female sparrowhawk, quite often to be found flying into
peoples patio windows, knocking themselves out whilst after their prey.
The female is also about a third bigger than the male.
Nice pics, Kleefarr.


Thanks! When I get the vid on the PC I'll put a clip up for you too see!!
 

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Wavey mate, that's the American sparrow Hawk, a different bird.
 

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ROFLMAO!!! This is the hottest thread on the board! I can just see the analysts at Google reporting the sparrowhawk.crawlerbot virus to the US government now!
 

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@ Rolfw....Yes I know it was only a quick search on Google but the bird is very similar to the one found in the British isles......the markings and colours like your first photo Rolfw!....I also have Sparrow Hawks near where I live which make a distinctive noise (described in the link) and are much smaller than pigeons!... you must also take into account that birds of prey will normally make a kill on regular prey that they can fly away with as they take it to their nest when they have young or onto a high place. So if this was a Sparrow Hawk I feel it was either very hungry or over ambitious.
 
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