What bird of prey kills maggies

Martin1 · #1 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 03:38 PM

I work as a gardener and one of my customers phoned up to sayt hat a dark brown bird was ripping a magpie to pieces the location is st annes on sea.
Anyboby got any ideas of which bird it might be? My cat also kills magpies she is fiesty
Martin

RoyW · #2 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 03:42 PM

Sparrowhawk or Peregrine are possibilities. It's not really possible to say without some sort of further description of the bird though. Perhaps more likely a Sparrowhawk with the brown colour, but juvenile Peregrines can also look very brown.

If the Magpie was already dead Buzzard is also a good possibilty - more likely to feed on carrion than take a live magpie though.

Littlesparrow · #3 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 03:43 PM

I would think a buzzard would be big enough to take a magpie, they kill rabbits and pigeons, but I've never seen it myself.

accipter · #4 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 03:49 PM

I have film of a female sparrowhawk killing a magpie the magpie was putting up one hell of a fight, there is film of one being held under the water in a garden pond by a sparrowhawk on utube.

Martin1 · #5 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 06:19 PM

Thanks all for the replays a week early did notice four birds flying very high which i think were buzards not sure.I know magpies are very vicious i have seen them kill other birds and attack cats dont know how my cat caught a magpie wish i had seen it would have been a good fight.

Martin1

actionfinch · #6 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by accipter

I have film of a female sparrowhawk killing a magpie the magpie was putting up one hell of a fight, there is film of one being held under the water in a garden pond by a sparrowhawk on utube.

just read this thread and went onto youtube, it was disturbing to watch, but in reality it goes on all the time i know, but it was fascinating to see especialy the one where the hawk drags the magpie over to the pond.