Need Help Identifying a Bird of Prey

[thekateress]

Hello! I live on the coast of Exmoor and recently saw a bird of prey that I would love to identify.

I was walking on a rugged and remote part of the South West Coast Path, it was very quiet and a beautifully clear sunny day. As I walked I heard a strange squarking, calling sound and I turned to see a two birds of prey above me in the blue sky. They seemed to be having a disagreement, I wondered if it was a territorial thing, because they were making a lot of noise and coming together, clashing in the sky before wheeling away in a wide circle and then coming together again. At one point, they locked talons and tumbled down through the air together, I wondered if that could have been some sort of mating ritual but surely October is the wrong time of year for that? Either way, the private acrobatic display I was treated to was stunning.

Eventually they went their seperate ways in opposite directions along the coast. Sadly I couldn't see very clearly what they looked like because they were generally silhoutted against the blue sky. I am very familiar with buzzards as I see them very regularly and I know they weren't buzzards, but they were a similar size, maybe slightly smaller. They were I think brown on their undersides (I have seen cream feathers under buzzard's wings) and their wings were more narrow and pointed than buzzards, with a gently curving 'boomerang' shape when they soared, which they did a lot - there weren't many wingbeats. The terrain is rugged and coastal; there are a great many steep wooded cliffs, wooded combes and rocky shore - undisturbed generally by the public.

I've heard that there are peregrine falcons on the Exmoor coast and wondered if this could be what I saw. However I've tried doing a little online id and it sounds as though they could be Hobbys, which I know nothing about. Does anyone know what these beautiful birds could be and what their behaviour might mean?

Many thanks!

Katie

[RobS]

I would imagine they were Peregrines but they're not brown underneath, they're pale with black patterning in line whereas a Hobby has black flecks / spots. Hobbies are fairly small and look like a black scimitar whereas the Peregrine is an altogether bigger stockier bird with a very strong flight. I think the wing beats are referred to as 'winnowing' in some texts.

I suppose Merlin could be suspect but very small and dainty.

That's falcons, I suppose it could possibly have been a Honey Buzzard or a harrier of some sort but given you say you know Buzzards my money would be on Peregrine. The noise sounds familiar too.

Despite what people might think Peregrines are actually quite common nowadays, in my early birdwatching (1983) days they were considerably rarer, but the fact I have seen them on at least three occasions from my house in Southampton somewhat bears this out!! (I believe they nested in the Civic Centre Tower a few years ago).

Rob S

[Gatekeeper]

Hi Katie, welcome to WAB.

From your description, they do sound quite like buzzards, which can be very varied in appearance. I've seen buzzards engage in similar behaviour. Hobbies are a good deal smaller than buzzards. Best thing to do, before deciding on an exact species, is to try to identify whether your birds were Falcons or Hawks, as the flight silhouettes are quite different.

[Rye]

From the description on the shape they sound more like falcons but the colouring does not add up. I would still say Peregrines anyway.

atb.

[RobS]

I'm tending to agree with Gatekeeper - I'd assumed that they were NOT Buzzards as the OP says they are familiar with that species, but given the brown underneath and the locking talons Gatekeeper might well be correct.

The only other species I recall seeing doing that was Marsh Harrier on food passes (which is common to all harriers I think).

Rob S

[Gatekeeper]

Yes, agreed Rob. I've never seen Peregrines engage in talon-locking, but have seen buzzards and harriers do this many times.

Katie, would you say the birds wings were broad like a buzzard's?

[thekateress]

Hi all, this has been so interesting, thanks for your suggestions.

Gatekeeper; I'd say the wings were not quite as wide as a buzzard's - I tend to think of a buzzard as quite a chunky, robust bird and this one looked finer, a bit more elegant. I know it's a rubbish description, I wish I could be more specific or provide a photo, I'm sorry!

They did definitely hold onto each others talons though and made quite a lot of noise...

Thanks for all your help folks, it's much appreciated!

Katie

PS. Can you suggest why they would have been behaving as they did? I wondered if it was territorial / mating / something else?!

[captaincarot]

Originally Posted by thekateress

Katie

PS. Can you suggest why they would have been behaving as they did? I wondered if it was territorial / mating /

both are reasons that they do it.


last time we were in whinlatter the young ospreys were picking on the buzzards by stoopdiving them and then the buzzards would flip over and attempt to talon grasp, brilliant to watch and the lot of them were making a right racket

[thekateress]

Hello again,

I've been looking through the Gallery (don't know why I didn't look there earlier, new to this!) and I think I can safely rule out buzzards and harriers because my birds definitely didn't have 'fingers' on their wingtips, they were smooth and sleek. They def weren't kestrels either. The shape of the hobby is similar, but I think that after all your advice and seeing the pics, I'm quite certain they were peregrines.

These pics particularly helped, Peregrine - Falco peregrinus - Wildlife Photography (they looked just like this), there's even one of two peregrines playing tag, maybe that's what mine were doing: Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus - Wildlife Photography.

The angle of the sun made it very difficult to see their markings, but these pics look so close to what I remember.

Thanks all for your time and help - I've learnt so much today. Will be looking out for these beautiful creatures again now that I know what they are!

Best wishes,

Katie

[Picidae]

Description and habitat sounds spot on for juvenile Peregrines - juveniles are heavily brown streaked on the underparts with dense barring on flight feathers so can look dark brownish from below with no distinctive markings. Upperparts are dark brown (ochre tips to coverts can be seen with close views).

It's getting rather late for Hobbies most will have left Europe by now for Africa and winter records are very rare. While the location was coastal, and a late migrating Hobby is possible, the habitat most certainly favors Peregrines as does the behaviour of juveniles staking out their new territories.