Can you identify this raptor?

Fredrick · 22-11-2009, 12:44

Anyone know what type of raptor this one is, notice the white on the back of the wings?

cuddlycavies · 22-11-2009, 14:10

Male sparrowhawk or Goshawk possibly.

Poll Dubh · 22-11-2009, 16:57

female Hen Harrier

http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird...en-harrier.asp (see illustration toward bottom of page)

cuddlycavies · 22-11-2009, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poll Dubh

female Hen Harrier

http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird...en-harrier.asp (see illustration toward bottom of page)

Defo not. White rump would be obvious in photos and wrong shape.

tricky D · 22-11-2009, 18:48

Buzzard

Fredrick · 22-11-2009, 19:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuddlycavies

Male sparrowhawk or Goshawk possibly.

Think you might be right cuddleycaveies, was googling Goshawk pics and it looks like a male

Took these in monaghan during the summer. It was very high up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poll Dubh

female Hen Harrier

http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird...en-harrier.asp (see illustration toward bottom of page)

The tail and wings do look similar besides the white bit though?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tricky D

Buzzard

Dont think its a buzzard tricky, they don't have the bands on the tail and the wings have a distintive pattern underneath, bit like the golden eagle

Birdnuts · 22-11-2009, 20:17

Has the look of a goshawk to me or a very large female sparrowhawK

Kess73 · 22-11-2009, 23:10

Going with a large female sparrowhawk, based on the marking being quite pronounced on the underwings, when it is less so on a male goshawk, and there does not seem to be white or cream undertail coverts on that bird.

Plus the wing length looks short for a Goshawk which has a much longer wing in proportion to it's body than a sparrowhawk does.

Would not be shocked if it did turn out to be a male goshawk though.

Fredrick · 23-11-2009, 15:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kess73

Going with a large female sparrowhawk, based on the marking being quite pronounced on the underwings, when it is less so on a male goshawk, and there does not seem to be white or cream undertail coverts on that bird.

Plus the wing length looks short for a Goshawk which has a much longer wing in proportion to it's body than a sparrowhawk does.

Would not be shocked if it did turn out to be a male goshawk though.

Yeah, was just looking at pics of the female sparrowhawk also, and they are very alike in appearance, so i dont just dont know, thanks for the replies everyone

cuddlycavies · 23-11-2009, 21:04

I thought that the stockier type body in a couple of the shots eliminated female sparrowawk, but maybe not. I guess the defining question would be. Was it a larger bird? Like substantially larger than a pigeon? If so, Goshawk.

210 · 23-11-2009, 22:07

Was it circling when you saw it ? Buzzards tend to circle quite high looking for dinner on the ground. Also did it make any sound - the buzzard has a pretty distinct meaww type call.

Fredrick · 23-11-2009, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuddlycavies

I thought that the stockier type body in a couple of the shots eliminated female sparrowawk, but maybe not. I guess the defining question would be. Was it a larger bird? Like substantially larger than a pigeon? If so, Goshawk.

Yes it was a large bird around the size of a buzzard cuddly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 210

Was it circling when you saw it ? Buzzards tend to circle quite high looking for dinner on the ground. Also did it make any sound - the buzzard has a pretty distinct meaww type call.

Yes it was circling 210 it wasnt meawing though, have seen common buzzards before but not with the white on the back of the wings and the tail looks different?

Half-cocked · 24-11-2009, 09:00

Buzzard plumage can vary quite a lot from bird to bird.

Fredrick · 24-11-2009, 12:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Half-cocked

Buzzard plumage can vary quite a lot from bird to bird.

Fair enough Half-Cocked.

Half-cocked · 24-11-2009, 13:47

OK, more confusion, I showed the OP's pics to an expert and here's what he emailed me:

The long tail rules out vultures, eagles and buzzards. No fork rules out kites.
Not a harrier (no white rump, and barred tail rules out Marsh Harrier), and the rounded wings and face pattern rule out falcons. Most likely to be a female/immature Sparrowhawk or Goshawk. The white tips to the greater wing coverts are puzzling, but may be a juvenile feature. The slightly fluffed white under tail coverts could suggest a Goshawk.

22-11-2009, 12:44	#1
Fredrick Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Dublin Posts: 214 Adverts \| Friends	Can you identify this raptor? Anyone know what type of raptor this one is, notice the white on the back of the wings?

23-11-2009, 22:07	#11
210 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 43 Adverts \| Friends	How was it behaving ? Was it circling when you saw it ? Buzzards tend to circle quite high looking for dinner on the ground. Also did it make any sound - the buzzard has a pretty distinct meaww type call.

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22-11-2009, 14:10	#2
cuddlycavies Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 303 Adverts \| Friends	Male sparrowhawk or Goshawk possibly.

22-11-2009, 16:57	#3
Poll Dubh Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Maigh Eo Posts: 870 Adverts \| Friends	female Hen Harrier http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird...en-harrier.asp (see illustration toward bottom of page)

22-11-2009, 18:48	#5
tricky D Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: eccentric orbit on the lattice of coincidence Posts: 1,722 Adverts \| Friends	Buzzard

22-11-2009, 20:17	#7
Birdnuts Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: 2 miles NE of Kill, Co. Kildare Posts: 400 Adverts \| Friends	Has the look of a goshawk to me or a very large female sparrowhawK

22-11-2009, 23:10	#8
Kess73 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Asgard Posts: 6,469 Adverts \| Friends	Going with a large female sparrowhawk, based on the marking being quite pronounced on the underwings, when it is less so on a male goshawk, and there does not seem to be white or cream undertail coverts on that bird. Plus the wing length looks short for a Goshawk which has a much longer wing in proportion to it's body than a sparrowhawk does. Would not be shocked if it did turn out to be a male goshawk though.

23-11-2009, 21:04	#10
cuddlycavies Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 303 Adverts \| Friends	I thought that the stockier type body in a couple of the shots eliminated female sparrowawk, but maybe not. I guess the defining question would be. Was it a larger bird? Like substantially larger than a pigeon? If so, Goshawk.

24-11-2009, 09:00	#13
Half-cocked Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 543 Adverts \| Friends	Buzzard plumage can vary quite a lot from bird to bird.

24-11-2009, 13:47	#15
Half-cocked Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 543 Adverts \| Friends	OK, more confusion, I showed the OP's pics to an expert and here's what he emailed me: The long tail rules out vultures, eagles and buzzards. No fork rules out kites. Not a harrier (no white rump, and barred tail rules out Marsh Harrier), and the rounded wings and face pattern rule out falcons. Most likely to be a female/immature Sparrowhawk or Goshawk. The white tips to the greater wing coverts are puzzling, but may be a juvenile feature. The slightly fluffed white under tail coverts could suggest a Goshawk.