Hawk or Kite

[Captain]

Hi Everyone,

Have just found this site and hope those of you with a bit more experience could help me out?

We have a bird of prey which lives locally and various people call him "The Hawk" or "The Kite" but nobody is actually sure what it is, can you help?



Thanks and Regards Mark

[scout]

I Think those are Buzzards

[AshLee]

Yes, Common Buzzards.

[watsthat]

Its 2 pictures of the same bird I think but definitely Buzzard


Cheers

Pete

[Picidae]

It's a Common Buzzard (one bird unless it has an identical twin!)

[Captain]

Cheers for the quick replys, so we were all wrong! Not one of the locals said Buzzard.

You are right Watsthat it is the same bird just two different photos.

He is a real pleasure to watch we are very fortunate to have him live near us.

Thanks all for the ID

Regards Mark

[welsh.lensman]

I agree common Buzzard, nice capture Mark.

[Captain]

Thanks Welsh.Lensman,

I usually shoot about 20 to get one good one! These were about the two best of the Buzzard, he's a bit too quick most of the time, or am I too slow?!

Regards Mark

[Gaza]

You lucky thing, Captain
There are numerous common Buzzards in my area, and two that play and sit in the trees in the garden, where i work.
But i have never managed to get as close to them, as you have. Well done.

[RKB]

Calling them 'hawk' isn't too wrong in layman terms. This family of birds (Buteo) are called hawks in the USA (where there are some similar species, although their 'buzzard' is actually a vulture!), and only about 100-150 years ago all buzzards, harriers etc were called 'hawks' in Britain.