Question:

Have seen a falcon type bird in my garden?

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live in the midland uk

live next to a high hedhe row behind which is a private school with lots of fields and large old trees, have also seen a wood p****r in the garden

I have seen it twice both types it had prey the last time it was a sparrow.

Any ideas wht this bird could be it was around the same size as a crow.

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12 ANSWERS


  1. That is a good omen.  It means that the bird of plenty has chosen to land in your life.  Look for treasure in a place you would never expect.


  2. It belongs to me.   Could you please see if you could snare it for me and return it to mas asap.

  3. Well if you could give more info on what it looked like I might be a better hawk but it may be a merlin. They are found in the UK and an adult is usuallly 24-33 cm (9.5-13 in) long with a 53-69 cm (21-37 in) wingspan. They live in open fields as well.

  4. Most likely a Sparrow Hawk. They're very common.

  5. a hawk?

  6. I would guess it was a Sparrow Hawk.  They are sometimes very brave, and come into gardens without any fear.  They are extremely quick, and sometimes, all you see is a quick flash of feathers, and then it's gone.  They will attack any bird that is smaller than itself, and particularly likes blue t*** and sparrows. (sorry, apparently the name of these little birds is offensive)

    It's a horrible sight to see them eating other birds, but I'm afraid that's nature.

  7. I would doubt it would be a harris hawk, as they are mostly domesticated hunting birds these days, more likely a sparrow hawk or kestrel.  The most common birds of prey in the uk are buzzards but they are quite a bit bigger than a crow.

  8. Sounds like a harris hawk..

  9. Probably a kestrel or a sparrowhawk in the Midlands. If swooping down into the garden at light speed, a sparrowhawk. If dropping like a stone, a kestrel.

  10. Hi

    Keep an eye on it then, because if the pigeon keepers see it they'll kill it or put poisoned bait down, if that happens it'll be no use contacting the R.S.P.B or the R.S.P.C.A all they're interested in is "high profile" cases and collecting money, they're sitting on millions, where's the nearest animal center to you? have you ever heard of inspectors working with local councils to check on how animals especially dogs are being looked after on allotments....exactly.

    Sorry for rambling on but wildlife is something I care about and what with the amount of road kills and nutters that go out shooting we'll soon have non left, then the nutters will have to start shooting our pets or even our children to get their thrills.

    Ray. West York's. U.K.

  11. Description fits sparrowhawk well -- if prey was blackbird and hawk seemed crow-sized, perhaps a female, though it's the males who more often have the reddish breast.  Thin yellow legs fits nicely -- also yellow eyes in adult.

    Kestrel would be brownish on the back, and doesn't often take birds.  Merlin is just grey, and only in mountains in summer.  Hobby has reddish legs, but not chest, very fast, like huge swift -- I think you're a bit far north though (lots round here in New Forest).  Goshawk much bigger.  Buzzard much bigger.  Kite reddish, long forked or square tail, much bigger.  Peregrine greyish, short tail, bigger, very fast, less likely to be where you are in summer.  Not harrier at this time of year, and colour wrong, too big.

    Certainly not Harris hawk -- not wild in UK (falconer's bird only, though does escape), much larger, white on tail, brown elsewhere.

    Wing shape would be a help.  Falcons (kestrel, hobby, merlin, peregrine) have sharply triangular, longish wings.  Sparrowhawk has shortish, rounded wings, long tail, and characteristic level flap-flap-glide flight, then often dashing around or even through bushes and trees.  May also ambush from ground or perch, or take birds from bird-table.

    Nice bird!

  12. I think it might be a Sparrowhawk. They eat small - medium birds, and their front is brownish. If you got a close look you might have seen stripes across its front. It has a fairly long tail and thin yellow legs. I first thought of a kestrel but they wouldn't eat a blackbird, they usually eat mice and voles or insects. I think you had a Sparrowhawk. They often visit urban areas and gardens.

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