What bird is this ?

[Old Merc]

Not very good image as its zoomed to the top of a huge tree.



We are near the Thames, just outside Reading. Its started to sit right at the top of this tree, causes quite a commotion with smaller birds.

[mickyh7]

Looks like a young Sparrowhawk or maybe a young Goshawk.
Very difficult to tell with juvenile plumage.
Light enough plumage to be a Buzzard, we have light ones here.
How big is it compared to a Wood Pigeon?

[Ambleton]

first thought was Osprey, but double checking they don't have yellow beaks...

Possibly a Hobby?

[mickyh7]

Hobby is the size of a Kestrel?
Much darker Browny Black Blue with a Red Loin.
Looks bigger?
Need an approximate size.

[Planet Claire]

Given you're in Reading I'd say chances are is a light coloured (juvenile perhaps) Red Kite.

[Old Merc]

mickyh7 said:

Looks like a young Sparrowhawk or maybe a young Goshawk.
Very difficult to tell with juvenile plumage.
Light enough plumage to be a Buzzard, we have light ones here.
How big is it compared to a Wood Pigeon?

Much bigger, at least twice the size of a pigeon.

[Old Merc]

Planet Claire said:

Given you're in Reading I'd say chances are is a light coloured (juvenile perhaps) Red Kite.

There is always a large number of Red Kite’s flying high up around here. Never seen one land though.

[mickyh7]

Old Merc said:

Much bigger, at least twice the size of a pigeon.

I'd go with young Kite then.
Common as muck now!
Which is a great thing.

[isaldiri]

Planet Claire said:

Given you're in Reading I'd say chances are is a light coloured (juvenile perhaps) Red Kite.

^ this. Red kite. Definitely not an accipiter like a sparrowhawk or goshawk.

mickyh7 said:

Light enough plumage to be a Buzzard, we have light ones here.

A buzzard would have a fully dark eye.

[Old Merc]

Shall we go for a red kite then? This is a common site above our house, they are all red kite`s.

[Old Merc]

I was wondering if it was one of these. A year or so ago this feller flew straight into our patio door. Stunned so much it sat on our garden table for ages, posing for photos.

What is it?

[isaldiri]

Old Merc said:

I was wondering if it was one of these. A year or so ago this feller flew straight into our patio door. Stunned so much it sat on our garden table for ages, posing for photos.

What is it?

That's a sparrowhawk. Much smaller than a red kite.

Edit - looks like a female sparrowhawk as well. The male tends to be smaller and have some red as well.

Edited by isaldiri on Thursday 25th June 12:45

[Beggarall]

mickyh7 said:

I'd go with young Kite then.
Common as muck now!
Which is a great thing.

Interested to know why you think this is a great thing? Since their re- introduction they have increased in numbers very rapidly and apart from a few fearless crows that chase them off seem to have no predators. They are now very abundant around the Chilterns and although attractive i think the programme has been a bit too successful and maybe there are now too many - not sure how long their numbers can continue to increase and at what cost - needs a bit of balance perhaps?

[isaldiri]

Beggarall said:

Interested to know why you think this is a great thing? Since their re- introduction they have increased in numbers very rapidly and apart from a few fearless crows that chase them off seem to have no predators. They are now very abundant around the Chilterns and although attractive i think the programme has been a bit too successful and maybe there are now too many - not sure how long their numbers can continue to increase and at what cost - needs a bit of balance perhaps?

Well their numbers can increase as long as there is enough food to support the lot of them. I don't really think there is any real cost to having them either imo although to be fair we lack large numbers of goshawks or eagle owls here in the UK that would quite cheerily take a kite if they could get their claws on one. Given they were once nearly shot out of existence here I suppose they are just regaining what would have been their former range/numbers.

[Mort7]

Red Kite and Sparrowhawk.

Yes the numbers are impressive around here in the Chilterns, but they are spreading out across the country. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlif...

Fantastically agile in flight - particularly during courtship displays. I've seen them flying upside-down, doing barrel rolls, and locking talons and spiralling to just above ground level before separating. More cumbersome than a chicken on the ground though.

[Sheets Tabuer]

Loads around here in South Leicestershire, they seem to only eat dead badgers from what I can see but I did walk in my front room once to find the blackbird sitting on my sofa, bit odd I thought as the git spends most of his time chirping loudly at me in the garden as if I'm in his garden, anyhow I went outside to see one of these tearing the face off something on the fence.

[mickyh7]

Beggarall said:

mickyh7 said:

I'd go with young Kite then.
Common as muck now!
Which is a great thing.

Interested to know why you think this is a great thing? Since their re- introduction they have increased in numbers very rapidly and apart from a few fearless crows that chase them off seem to have no predators. They are now very abundant around the Chilterns and although attractive i think the programme has been a bit too successful and maybe there are now too many - not sure how long their numbers can continue to increase and at what cost - needs a bit of balance perhaps?

They eat Carrion, rarely kill to eat and look Magnificent!
Thats why.
And I have a vested intrest in Pheasants, so a very educated comment.
Dont start me on about Buzzards though !

[JeremyBearimy]

You can tell when you are in a red kite area vs not a red kite area by the amount of road kill. They do a great clean up job.

We get them where i am (in large numbers like that photo), and they are glorious. Mostly carrion eaters although known to take the odd chick, they seem to be bullied a lot by corvids and buzzards for their food, and they don't seem aggressive. Occasionally they will visit the garden, much to the cats dismay. But they never stop, just a swoop and a nosey.

As carrion eaters i think they must be beneficial to the environment. As long as people aren't feeding them, I cannot see an issue with them creating an in balance.

[isaldiri]

Mort7 said:

Fantastically agile in flight - particularly during courtship displays. I've seen them flying upside-down, doing barrel rolls, and locking talons and spiralling to just above ground level before separating. More cumbersome than a chicken on the ground though.

not agile enough to avoid being smacked around by the resident peregrine falcons whenever they pass by a nest site! always rather exciting to see when a red kite or buzzard passes by....

[Mort7]

isaldiri said:

Mort7 said:

Fantastically agile in flight - particularly during courtship displays. I've seen them flying upside-down, doing barrel rolls, and locking talons and spiralling to just above ground level before separating. More cumbersome than a chicken on the ground though.

not agile enough to avoid being smacked around by the resident peregrine falcons whenever they pass by a nest site! always rather exciting to see when a red kite or buzzard passes by....

The peregrines win on the straights, but kites corner better........