Large bird of prey in Strawberry Beds area

docster

Hi,

I was driving home the other evening and saw a large brown bird of prey carrying off a rat from the side of the road down beside the Strawberry Beds.
It had a big wingspan and took off pretty gingerly.

I live around this area and didn't have any idea there were birds of this size in the wild here.

Can anyone give an idea of what type of bird it could have been?

Thanks

olly_mac

It may have been a buzzard. I see them regularly around there, Lucan Demense and towards Celbridge and Leixlip.

OpenYourEyes

Sounds like a Buzzard alright!

golfwallah

Could have been a red kite. I've seen them in Donabate (where a number were released a few years back) and also between Swords & Ashbourne.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Kite

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Buzzard

OpenYourEyes

The forked tail is the main giveaway for a Red Kite, though the wings are different in shape to a Buzzards too.

Kicking Bird

Yeah,more than likely a Buzzard - they're the ultimate scavengers!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Kicking Bird wrote: »

Yeah,more than likely a Buzzard - they're the ultimate scavengers!

Aaahm! Not at all - Red Kites are much more carrion eaters than Buzzards! Buzzards are by no means the "ultimate" scavengers out there.

The reference to gingery plumage would suggest this was a Kite but we'd really need a more detailed description I think.

Kicking Bird

Talia Vast Cigarette wrote: »

Aaahm! Not at all - Red Kites are much more carrion eaters than Buzzards! Buzzards are by no means the "ultimate" scavengers out there.

The reference to gingery plumage would suggest this was a Kite but we'd really need a more detailed description I think.

Hi Talia Vast Cigarette,

Don't mean to rub it in,but I think you may have misread docster's original post - he described it as a "large brown bird of prey" which "took off pretty gingerly".

I do agree that Red Kites are serious scavengers too,but given the explosion in the population of Buzzards in the last decade or so in this country,the likelihood is it was a Buzzard.But you just never know!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I stand corrected. However I also stand by the scavengers comment.

Thanks - old age is a terrible affliction!

Kicking Bird

No Problem Srameen!

I'm new to this forum as you can see,but have been passionate about wildlife and the outdoors all my life(and I'm not a whippersnapper myself either!).I will concede that ornithology isn't a strong point of mine,but should be able to hold my own in relation to Irish mammals and wildflowers.

I look forward to having many a discussion with you about the above in future.

All the best!:)