Was it a goshawk

[wrxkrk]

Ok, i'm pretty new to this so be gentle! Whilst picking picking the runner beans from our garden i watched a bird of prey take a wood pidgeon out of our oak tree. I got a good look at it on the floor, before it took to flight. It was grey' ish with black bands across its belly. Was it a goshawk?

I live in East Sussex, and I don't think they are common round here?

Thanks

[Jenny W]

It will have been a Sparrowhawk, close relatives of the Goshawk, but smaller. Lovely birds

[wrxkrk]

Thank you for the reply

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Jenny W

It will have been a Sparrowhawk, close relatives of the Goshawk, but smaller. Lovely birds

That suprises me Jenny, a pigeon is quite a lrage bird and i would have thought a Sparrow Hawk would struggle with something that size.

Having said that, there is an abundance of Sparrow Hawks in my area and i noticed today many pigeon feathers on a small lawn by some trees in my garden so maybe, just maybe.

BK

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Beekeeper

That suprises me Jenny, a pigeon is quite a lrage bird and i would have thought a Sparrow Hawk would struggle with something that size.

Having said that, there is an abundance of Sparrow Hawks in my area and i noticed today many pigeon feathers on a small lawn by some trees in my garden so maybe, just maybe.

BK

Female Sparrowhawks regularly take pigeons; the smaller males go for corespondingly smaller prey.

[ANNO]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Female Sparrowhawks regularly take pigeons; the smaller males go for corespondingly smaller prey.

thus, non competition for prey during stress/winter weather leading to increased chances of successfully rearing a brood.........

[Jenny W]

Originally Posted by Beekeeper

That suprises me Jenny, a pigeon is quite a lrage bird and i would have thought a Sparrow Hawk would struggle with something that size.

As aeshna says, females will take Pigeons quite happily. Sparrowhawks are one of the most sexually dimorphic birds (size wise) in the world.

[Beekeeper]

Thank you for clarifying that Jenny, the more they take in my area the better, they are now almost as tame as city pigeons now.

BK