Sparrowhawk or Goshawk

[J333]

Hi, sorry to pose such a tired question!

I found this large pigeon when out with my dog. It's head had been rather neatly removed.

A short time later, I was looking out of my kitchen window and saw this fellow enjoying himself.

It was bigger than I expect a Sparrowhawk to be but I am not sure if there are Goshawks in my area, that being a suburb of York.

Is it usual for a hawk to neatly remove the head of a pigeon or was this chap an opportunist tucking into an easy meal?

Thanks

[Acipiter]

Its a female Sparrow hawk, its not unusual for them to removed the head first, but they do not "always do this".

[John B (NTS)]

The fella's a she with the classic girly "eyebrow" and that seriously businesslike cutting tool on the front of her face. Male Sparrowhawks have surprisingly dainty looking facial features.

For the record, Peregrines often behead their catches too.

[faz]

j333 itsa sparrowhawk for me to welcome to WAB

[J333]

Thank you for the speedy responses.

I see now that male Sparrowhawks are marked differently, I am new to this! I was pretty sure it wouldn't be a Goshawk but it just seemed big and I didn't expect a Sparrowhawk to take down such a large pigeon either!

[The Woodman]

Now you've got the main business sorted, J333, what is the thing in the foreground of the image?

Looks like a hide dog chew wrapped in duct tape with a tag of blue rope in it??

[actionfinch]

Nice snap shot there, looks like she just read the warning label of one of the drums, with here beak open...
and yeah what is the foreground item?