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bird of prey ID

  • 18-09-2011 11:40pm
    #1
    cameramonkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭


    was walking in wicklow earlier, just as sun was going down. startled a bird of prey that was feeding on its victim. only caught a slight glimpse of the bird as it flew away. it was fast and nothing like the size of a buzzard maybe closer to kestrel or a bit bigger. it had a pretty narrow tail but because of the light I couldn't see any markings.

    its victim was a magpie that was completely stripped of its feathers and had its head removed. the location was on the banks of a river under some trees in a mountain area.

    Any ideas on what bird i saw?


Comments

  • #2
    LostCovey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    cameramonkey wrote: »
    was walking in wicklow earlier, just as sun was going down. startled a bird of prey that was feeding on its victim. only caught a slight glimpse of the bird as it flew away. it was fast and nothing like the size of a buzzard maybe closer to kestrel or a bit bigger. it had a pretty narrow tail but because of the light I couldn't see any markings.

    its victim was a magpie that was completely stripped of its feathers and had its head removed. the location was on the banks of a river under some trees in a mountain area.

    Any ideas on what bird i saw?

    Hi cameramonkey,

    There's very little to go on there, but the combination of kestrel-sized, narrow tail and the size of the prey suggests female Sparrowhawk.

    LostCovey


  • #3
    cameramonkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭cameramonkey


    LostCovey wrote: »
    Hi cameramonkey,

    There's very little to go on there, but the combination of kestrel-sized, narrow tail and the size of the prey suggests female Sparrowhawk.

    LostCovey

    thanks .only got a glimpse so you are right no information to go on.Do sparrowhawks normally completely pluck their prey? this bird had totally stripped its victim of head and feathers , it was like a plucked chicken in the window of a butchers.


  • #4
    trebor28
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    cameramonkey wrote: »
    thanks .only got a glimpse so you are right no information to go on.Do sparrowhawks normally completely pluck their prey? this bird had totally stripped its victim of head and feathers , it was like a plucked chicken in the window of a butchers.

    yes they do.

    i have recently seen a a wood pigeon which was completely stripped. all that was left was feet, wing feathers bones and ligaments. even the skull was cleaned!


  • #5
    Kess73
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    OP

    Would agree with Trebor on it most likely being a female sprawk. Have seen them catch and kill magpies a number of times and the remains ended up looking just like what you saw.


  • #6
    LostCovey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    Kess73 wrote: »
    OP

    Would agree with Trebor on it most likely being a female sprawk.

    Hi Kess,

    Why do falconer's call Sparrowhawks sprawks? Is it just shorthand? Less typing?

    LC


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  • #7
    Kess73
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,560 ✭✭✭✭Kess73


    LostCovey wrote: »
    Hi Kess,

    Why do falconer's call Sparrowhawks sprawks? Is it just shorthand? Less typing?

    LC


    I'm not a falconer and never have been one, although there are a few who use this forum on a regular basis.


    As for why I call them sprawks, I guess I picked it up when I was much younger in the UK. A family member was heavily involved with the BTO and I followed in their footsteps. Sprawk was a common enough term to use for recording purposes (probably started as a shorthand version of the name) and it has stuck with me when I talk about them on forums etc.


  • #8
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Sprawks is a Birders term not falconers. It's just a shorthand in note taking that grew into a nick-name like Bluey for Blue Tit.


  • #9
    LostCovey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭LostCovey


    Tobias Brief Bungalow wrote: »
    Sprawks is a Birders term not falconers. It's just a shorthand in note taking that grew into a nick-name like Bluey for Blue Tit.

    Thanks to both, never came across it except on a falconry website. Birders are a bit scarce around my parts, so "I no spikka da lingo". I need to get out of here more often!

    LC


  • #10
    cameramonkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭cameramonkey


    saw a kestrel hunting in the same area today. maybe that was the killer. would a kestrel kill a magpie?


  • #11
    trebor28
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    cameramonkey wrote: »
    saw a kestrel hunting in the same area today. maybe that was the killer. would a kestrel kill a magpie?

    i would say it was very doubtful it was a Kestrel.
    they would only go for small birds.

    all the indicators would suggest Sparrowhawk.


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  • #12
    dev100
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭dev100


    cameramonkey wrote: »
    was walking in wicklow earlier, just as sun was going down. startled a bird of prey that was feeding on its victim. only caught a slight glimpse of the bird as it flew away. it was fast and nothing like the size of a buzzard maybe closer to kestrel or a bit bigger. it had a pretty narrow tail but because of the light I couldn't see any markings.

    its victim was a magpie that was completely stripped of its feathers and had its head removed. the location was on the banks of a river under some trees in a mountain area.

    Any ideas on what bird i saw?



    anything like this?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/60544521@N00/5501852567/in/photostream


  • #13
    cameramonkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭cameramonkey


    dev100 wrote: »
    anything like this?

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/60544521@N00/5501852567/in/photostream

    was too far away to see but did look bigger than the kestrel i saw today.nice photo.


  • #14
    dev100
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,002 ✭✭✭dev100


    cameramonkey wrote: »
    was too far away to see but did look bigger than the kestrel i saw today.nice photo.

    Thanks caught that male sparrow hawk lurking around the bird feeder ten feet from my house during the summer

    Im hopeless myself at naming birds or knowing their eating habits. Had to ask my mate to name it for me. If you were anywhere near avoca area it may have been a red kite maybe .


  • #15
    cameramonkey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,220 ✭✭✭cameramonkey


    dev100 wrote: »
    Thanks caught that male sparrow hawk lurking around the bird feeder ten feet from my house during the summer

    Im hopeless myself at naming birds or knowing their eating habits. Had to ask my mate to name it for me. If you were anywhere near avoca area it may have been a red kite maybe .


    not a kite. have seen a lot of them in UK and would know immediately. As the other posters say it is most likley a sparrowhawk and Iw ould go with their greater knowledge.


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