hawk in Cork?

The Paws

Hi - I think I saw a hawk in my garden! :eek: I didnt know they live here or have I got this bird's ID wrong? It is huge with long brown tail.
Does it eat small birds? I hope not! (if it eats blackbirds then i dont mind!!!)

I didnt get the chance to take the picture for you but maybe some of you saw it in Ireland too...

Tiercel Dave

How big is 'huge', as big as a pigeon, or maybe a pheasant?

The Paws

well - it is definately a bit bigger than a typical blackbird! It has a unusually long tail - very similar to the pic see below ( I found this picture in allaboutbirds.org).

My dad and I saw it and he said it looks like a hawk??? - it was trying to get through the kitchen window but it cant and then it flew away from the window. So I went out see what it was and it was sitting on top of one the sticks closed to me that is supporting our clothes line. it stays there looking around and then flew away! it was amazing experience! Maybe it was a different type of bird - something very similar to this picture??

Tiercel Dave

Hi, Red Tail is a big bird but has a short tail and isn't native to Ireland. A female Sparrowhawk would be bigger than a Blackbird and has a long tail, is native and common.
http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/Sightings/2007/Mark%20Breaks/Sparrowhawk(14th).jpg

The Paws

It could be it! it doesnt have the big roundy chest like the Sparrowhawk do though!! Thanks for your info. Interesting.

trebor28

might it have been this bird?

http://www.biosearch.org.uk/uploaded_images/Kestrel-David-Bailey-761247.jpg

or its male counter part.

http://blog.woodlandsfalconry.com/wp-content/uploads/kestrel1101.jpg

The Paws

the first one of your links, trebor28 is the most similar one plus the one I saw has a darker brown tones on its back and tail with white (off white/cream??) underside and chest. I am after forgetting what it looks like now!

The smaller and cuter birds are out busy eating my bird peanuts and brown bread as I type - thank god for that because they went very quiet and were hidden somewhere when this "hawk-like" bird was in the area. It was very interesting and scary!

Kess73

Was what you saw anything like this girl?






and from behind so you can see the tail length.

tricky D

The Paws wrote: »

it was trying to get through the kitchen window but it cant and then it flew away from the window.=

Careful here. There's been a few stories of Sparrowhawks killing themselves by crashing into windows. If they can see through your kitchen window clear to another window on the other side they may attempt to fly 'through your 'house' but not cop onto the window until it's too late.

More info in this thread: Id for bird that hit window

rog1985

trebor28 wrote: »

might it have been this bird?

http://www.biosearch.org.uk/uploaded_images/Kestrel-David-Bailey-761247.jpg

or its male counter part.

http://blog.woodlandsfalconry.com/wp-content/uploads/kestrel1101.jpg

Beautiful shots of kestrels

trebor28

great shots alright.

id love to be able to claim credit for them but the only credit i can take is for finding them on the internet.

Kess73

tricky D wrote: »

Careful here. There's been a few stories of Sparrowhawks killing themselves by crashing into windows. If they can see through your kitchen window clear to another window on the other side they may attempt to fly 'through your 'house' but not cop onto the window until it's too late.

More info in this thread: Id for bird that hit window

It may have seen it's reflection and saw a "rival" in it's territory.

Could also be a case of a sparrowhawk willing to come indoors to chase a small bird that entered the house to escape or that the hawk thought entered the house.


I had the mate of the sparrowhawk in the pics I put in this thread come into my kitchen after his prey, and he put up one hell of a fight to try and stop me from helping him outside again.


Pretty sure I put up the pics in here before of him glaring back at me moments after I released him.


Sparrowhawk + Kitchen = chaos

rog1985

Pretty sure it was a sparrowhawk by all accounts.