Hovering bird ID

rainmaker · #1 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 06:55 AM

Sorry, no pics as it was on the way to work this morning on the motorway. But I saw a black & white bird (I think - dark & white certainly), with splayed tail feathers.

Haven't got a clue what it was, but it was hovering above a field. It wasn't very big - say a large blackbird? - and was quite thin. It didn't LOOK like any bird of prey I recognise - certainly NOT a kestrel.

Any ideas?

Ta

Chris

paulchandler6 · #2 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 07:00 AM

The only bird I know that habitually hovers is Kestrel. Maybe a melanistic one with most of its feather pigment gone?
There are others that can hover but only for short periods and given a good breeze.

Paul

rainmaker · #3 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulchandler6

The only bird I know that habitually hovers is Kestrel. Maybe a melanistic one with most of its feather pigment gone?
There are others that can hover but only for short periods and given a good breeze.

Paul

It IS very windy today!

Wild-Woman · #4 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 07:06 AM

Was it properly hovering (like a Kestrel) or holding the wind whilst flying? Sounds interesting.

rainmaker · #5 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Was it properly hovering (like a Kestrel) or holding the wind whilst flying? Sounds interesting.

It looked to be properly hovering - i.e. flapping it's wings like mad, though probably in the face of a strong breeze.

It was certainly the wrong body shape to be a kestrel, although it was kestrel-esque in that it was obviously looking for prey, along with the diagonal (to the ground) body position/head looking down.

Adam Cheeseman · #6 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 03:14 PM

Only other birds I can think of that hover apart from a Kestrel are Skylark and Buzzard. One too small and the other too big for your description, so I would plump for Kestrel.

Cheers,

Adam

Pigeon feather · #7 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 04:00 PM

How about a magpie? black and white, a bit bigger than a blackbird...I know they don't hover and their tail doesnt really splay but as you say it was windy, may have been caught in a gust! though you probably would recognise one of those as they are so common!

sometimes · #8 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007, 05:01 PM

Is it possible the sun punched a lot of contrast onto the bird so you only saw shadow and bright bits?

rainmaker · #9 (**permalink**) 09-11-2007, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sometimes

Is it possible the sun punched a lot of contrast onto the bird so you only saw shadow and bright bits?

No, definitely a black and white bird. Being trying to rack my brains over the body shape & its ID, but it was really unusual, in that it really wasn't a classic BoP shape.