what wild birds of prey will take a squirrel ?

[Naturenutz]

Went to a new wood for me today,in gloucestershire.While walking along the woodland track i heard the unmistakable cries of a birds of prey.I stood for a while listening,it sounded like 2 birds interacting,possibly adult and young.I slowly moved deeper into the wood and had a glimpse of a bird on the floor.As i aproached 2 birds flew deeper into the wood without allowing a good view.I found a very freshly killed squirrel on the woodland floor.It had no marks or signs of being in a struggle.I left it there and walked off,hopefully the birds will return for their prey.
I am trying to decide what birds i saw.It was deep in woodland so it was quite dark but definately large birds of prey.The bird i glimpsed on the floor although a fleeting glimpse was quite dark but i think also had a little white ,like juvenile birds of prey often do,italso appeared a little clumsy in flight..I often here buzzards mewing and other notes when frightened but these made a different screech which is what made me curiuos .I am thinking sparrow or goshhawk,although cant completely discount buzzard although as a said,these had a different note/screech .To make the morning i also saw a barn owl and white admiral butterflies.great morning walk in gloucestershire

[aeshna5]

Goshawks regularly take squirrels + also have a good population in the Forest of Dean, so possibly the most likely, though a Buzzard would be capable of taking one. The former is better adapted to taking prey in woodland.

[Naturenutz]

Thanks Aeshna,yes ive seen goshawk in the forest of dean,at one of the veiwing
spots but they were along way off using a scope.These werein a wood on the english side of the severn,although little distance between them as the goshhawk flies .The thing thats making me doubt is that it looked dark in colour. I am convinced it was a young bird,are they darker than adults ?.A few reasons make me think it was a juvenile,it stayed on the floor after seeing me,it flew clumsily,and it may have had white downy in plumage.Also it sounded as if mother was encouraging the young bird maybe having caught it for the young.
They were communicating with excited screeches.

[RKB]

Could well be a scavenged squirrel, though perhaps roadkill (a lot around at the moment, with dispersing young squirrels). Squirrels have thick skins so even if they're run over they sometimes don't look damaged.

And two birds of prey together (and calling a lot) suggests that they could have been juveniles that had the squirrel brought to them - adults hunt alone. So I reckon it could have been fledgling buzzards.

Young Squirrels will also cross open ground where they can be caught by buzzards, so it's not necessarily a 'deep woodland' predation act (in which Goshawk would be a strong contender).

Also, Buzzards are fledging about now, wheras it's a bit early for Sparrowhawk and (perhaps) Goshawk. Though it could have been a food pass.

[Naturenutz]

Thanks RKB,some interesting thoughts there,you may well be correct.I really think it could only be Buzzard or goshhawk.Way Too big for male sparrowhawk and too dark for a female sparrowhawk.The squirrel was very fresh killed,and looked perfect condition with no fur missing etc and no flies on it.,i realise that it could have been bought to the spot,but whatever happened it was very recent indeed.i poked it with my boot,turned it over,it was not stiff .I guess i will never know although i will return shortly with my camera as its a superb spot for all kinds of wildlife and the first time ive seen white admiral butterflies and a barn owl was a bonus, exspecially in daylight at 11am.

[faz]

i would say it was a goshawk ur very lucky to see one well done a buzzard woulkd not take a squirrel as they fight back and have a nasty bite buzzards tend to take young rabbit small mammels lik,e voles mice rats etc and feed on carrion as well as insects and worms

[Naturenutz]

Well i went back yesterday,and saw a goshawk fly at full speed from a field into the woodland trees.I was walking along a footpath outside of the wood.It was so obvious to me ,the speed that it flew and just a few turns of the body and disappeared under the dark tree canopy.It does not mean the original birds i saw were goshawks but now i know they are definately there .Is it too early for goshawks to have fledged chicks ?.ps do they hunt close to and in woodland or do they hunt prey in open meadows too ?

[catxx]

I've ridden through a lot of Gloucestershire, primarily Cotswolds, woodlands and spooked a lot of Buzzards! Who was more spooked, the Buzzard or the horse, though is anyone's guess! There are a LOT of Buzzards there!See a lot when I'm driving home through the Cotswold villages too, including a massive one which was perched on a dry stone wall next to the road eating roadkill one time.

[Kayleigh]

I have seen this behaviour from the Buzzards where I live I cant rule out goshawks but its buzzards that take rabbits often here I have seen them chase rabbits down the road.

[Naturenutz]

I agree there are many buzzards in gloucestershire ,more than kestrels these last few years.Its great to see them.Years ago I was told they were restricted in numbers because of the large territories they require.There territories must be getting smaller,because they are far more abundant now than 20 years ago.The Forest of dean(A goshawk stronghold)is a short flight across the river severn from where i saw these birds.