Bird of Prey i.d.

[Words]

I saw these two this afternoon over the south downs. The first bird is sporting jesses (only noticed this when I uploaded the pictures), but there was absolutely no sign of a handler around and it was sweeping large areas. The second bird joined it after about five minutes (no jesses). I'd assumed they were peregrines, which we do see round here, but wondering now whether that's correct.

Bird 1


Bird 2

[GuyF]

The second bird is a juvenile Peregrine. I'm not very experienced with falcons, but the first looks like a Saker to me, however hybrids are common in captivity so it may not be the pure species.
Guy

[Jenny W]

I'm with Guy here, the first definitely has Saker in it - if not a pure one.

[Words]

Thanks both! Appreciated.

[willing to learn]

They are both Juv Tiercel Peregrines, Perhaps the captive one could have a percentage of sub species in Perhaps barbary. If there was any saker in it in the feet would be blue. They look yellow to me.
Regards
Colin
PS I wonder if it was recovered you can see the antena trailing from the transmitter

[Words]

Colin, interesting comment. I'll check out the local peregrine watch site to see if they are running any radio tracking. A number of the local birds are ringed, and Sussex has a long history of tracking these birds.

[Words]

I've just found another shot which may help a bit. 100% crop so the quality isn't great but you can make out what could be the transmitter, and the feet are definitely yellow.

[willing to learn]

Originally Posted by Words

I've just found another shot which may help a bit. 100% crop so the quality isn't great but you can make out what could be the transmitter, and the feet are definitely yellow.

In this photo it looks like a 2008 youngster, in the process of moult, Certainly a falconry bird with a blue leg mounted merlin type transmitter . You could report it to the IBR. Falconry equipment - falconry equipment online - cheap bird vitamins
They might be a falconer looking for it.
Regards
Colin

[Picidae]

definitely not a pure Peregrine - or one of this year's juveniles. Underwing pattern looks vaguely similar to a Gyr and it's quite a bulky bird - possibly Gyr/Peregrine/X and or/ Lanner mix ?

[willing to learn]

Originally Posted by Picidae

definitely not a pure Peregrine - or one of this year's juveniles. Underwing pattern looks vaguely similar to a Gyr and it's quite a bulky bird - possibly Gyr/Peregrine/X and or/ Lanner mix ?

Needs blue feet wing loading wrong for gyr or saker hybrid and a lanner is a thin rangey falcon and some what smaller than a peregrine. Pretty sure its a Barbary/Peregrine. Pretty sure I can see horizontal barring coming through on its chest also. After sayng this with some of these designer tribreds its pretty much up to the breeder to tell you what it derives from.
Regards
Colin