Gamebird ID please!

Del.Monte

Came across this poor devil in the local churchyard today - in the middle of town - obviously met with a bird of prey last night/very early this morning. Sorry for the poor and gory pics.





Snipe? Leg colour has me puzzled.

tertials

Looks like a Black-tailed Godwit

stevensi

Not a gamebird but a wader. And as tertials said a black tailed godwit.

Del.Monte

Thanks for that - I knew there was something odd about it. Too big for a Snipe, wrong legs etc..haven't seen a Black-tailed Godwit since the 1970s - and never this close-up. Wonder what got it?

TedR

Peregrines are known to hunt and take prey nocturnally over towns and cities. If the church in question has a reasonably high spire, there is a decent chance it has a peregrine in residence.
Otherwise in town the obvious suggestion would be sparrowhawk, unusual enough prey species though maybe.
All in all, given location and circumstances i would say peregrine

Del.Monte

TedR wrote: »

Peregrines are known to hunt and take prey nocturnally over towns and cities. If the church in question has a reasonably high spire, there is a decent chance it has a peregrine in residence.
Otherwise in town the obvious suggestion would be sparrowhawk, unusual enough prey species though maybe.
All in all, given location and circumstances i would say peregrine

There's a tall spire alright but I live close by and there's no sightings of Peregrines in the area but plenty of Sparrowhawks.

M0nstermunch

Del.Monte wrote: »

There's a tall spire alright but I live close by and there's no sightings of Peregrines in the area but plenty of Sparrowhawks.

I'm pretty sure falcons like Peregrines always take off the head of it's prey, so I think probably a Sparrowhawk.

Tiercel Dave

A better way to tell is by the breastbone, a Spar can only eat the flesh whereas a Peregrine will take nips out of the bone........

TedR

My Paddy Power money is on peregrine ;-)

Even if there is no resident falcon, at this time of year the newly fledged young are starting to wander and explore new ground, so a young falcon passing through is feasible

If I know the area we are talking about, I have seen peregrines on the soar in that location myself with tight panicky flocks of pigeons below.

OpenYourEyes

I'd very much agree with those who said it's more than likely a Peregrine!