I heard a lot of loud cawing and when I went to investigate and saw a hunting bird was on my lawn on top of a live crow, which was making all the noise. The crow was in it's talons. I only got a quick look at it before it took off again. I looked it's markings up straight away in my bird books and decided it was either a goshawk, peregrine or a female sparrow hawk. It's chest was barred with horizontal barring. We live right on the edge of open farmland with hills and woods close by. It wasn't a very long look that I got but it looked as if the hawk was about the same size as the crow or if anything slightly larger.
Hi Whincup and welcome to the RSPB Forum
It sound although your mysterious bird could be a Sparrowhawk with barred chest are
They are on the smallish side, and by your description a Sparrowhawk is your bird.
Someone will have a good picture of a Sparrowhawk on this site to show you .........if you do not have one yourself at all.
Others will post too! {smile}
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Unknown said: I heard a lot of loud cawing and when I went to investigate and saw a hunting bird was on my lawn on top of a live crow, which was making all the noise. The crow was in it's talons. I only got a quick look at it before it took off again. I looked it's markings up straight away in my bird books and decided it was either a goshawk, peregrine or a female sparrow hawk. It's chest was barred with horizontal barring. We live right on the edge of open farmland with hills and woods close by. It wasn't a very long look that I got but it looked as if the hawk was about the same size as the crow or if anything slightly larger.
Just replied to another question on this Forum - regarding a Sparrowhawk.
This is a photograph of the one at the bottom of our garden ... in case it helps - although it might be a bit confusing if the one you saw was grey. The Juveniles and Females are different in colour to the adults I THINK (don't quote me though!)
I've never seen ours chase/catch anything larger than a Chaffinch though ... but I believe when they're REALLY hungry they'll try to strike something larger - like Pigeons and Jackdaws. So it could be yours was very hungry!
DD
Well I know it wasn't a male sparrowhawk as their chests are the orange barred effect. It may well have been a a female. Ther theory behind it perhaps being a goshawk or peregrine is that we think it caught the crow in the air, which is what the goshawk does. It was a rare sight to see here. If it had been there longer I could have seen more of it and perhaps worked out it's size. Thanks for your reply.
I'd be a bit surprised if it was a Sparrowhawk. Even females would find an adult crow a real handful. Did you note the eye colour. That would separate Goshawk from Peregrine straight away?
Every day a little more irate about bird of prey persecution, and I have a cat - Got a problem with that?
Hi,
we are assuming the crow was a Carrion Crow, so Peregrine seems likely on size :)
But.... . If it was a jackdaw then female Sparrowhawk is easily a possibility :)
We need more info :)
S
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