My cousin had this on display , beautiful example, apparently it flew into his window and broke it's neck but was such a beautiful looking bird he had it mounted.
Looks like a female Sparrowhawk Neil.
Ermm
Originally Posted by rolf
I could understand that where I live or even further over the Penines but by the sea in Lytham, why would one be there?
If there are small birds around, so will there be sparrowhawks Neil.
I would agree there with Rolf. Looks to me like a female Sparrow Hawk.
We had ones visit - too often! - in Ayr, and the house was just a hundred yards from the beach, Neil!
BTW, was that in the same house as the face-in-a-mask?
I bet his guests don't sit around long!
Mind you, maybe that's his idea!.gif "Big Grin")
Yep
BTW, was that in the same house as the face-in-a-mask?
I bet his guests don't sit around long!
Mind you, maybe that's his idea!
Yes Catherine it is and he was plagued by doorstep bible pushers until he started asking them in and you are correct they soon left
I was going to let this one 'pass by' Neil but have changed my mind.
The eyes and legs of your mounted bird are not right for Sparrowhawk, yellow in both cases, eye's and leg's, upperparts slate-grey in male and female.
Pete.
Well
I cannot say one way or the other, is it possible that artistic license was used when mounting the bird Pete? or is it a 2nd cousin of the sparrowhawk?
Artistic license!
Well the eyes will have been replaced by the taxidermist obviously but that leaves the legs Neil, which poses the question 'can the legs be preserved in taxidermy'?......if they can't then he/she made the wrong choice of leg replacement too if the claim is for Sparrowhawk, and we are still left with the wrong plumage detail. By the way I don't pretend to know what this bird really is.
More from your cousin would be interesting here Neil.
Pete.
I've had a play and adjusted the white balance and aside from the eyes which are not original, the plumage looks exactly like a female Sparrowhawk, what are you saying is wrong Pete?
Here is a sparrow hawk the 3rd and 4th in a very similar pose Though I think this is mine a male
http://www.thamesvalleybirds.co.uk/b...ter-nisus.html
I think it look like a sparrowhawk too
Last edited by Chocky; 08-01-2009 at 12:06 AM.
Yours is most certainly a male Beryl and nothing remotely like Neils female. I will concede to it being a (brown) juvenile Sparrowhawk on upperparts but (sorry) the eyes/legs are not those of this species. By the way this is not intended as an argumentative issue just a discussion.
I don't recall seeing your Sparrowhawk pics before Beryl......excellent.
Pete.
It is a discussion I agree . I never meant it to seam as though I was arguing.
I can't find another bird like it. The stripes on it's tale make me think it's a female Sparrowhawk. I could be wrong and probably am
I was comparing the stance and the female is much a different colour to the male I agree. My female has it's back to us so cannot compare that one
Thanks for the comment on mine BTW.gif "Smile")
It looks very like this female which pestered the birds in our Ayr garden. I think the false eyes and the faded legs on the one at your cousin's makes you think twice, but I'd still go with Sparrowhawk!
Mmmm
I don't think my cousin could help much unless he knows the taxidermist, however I will ask him when I next speak or Email, I have to say seeing Catherine's previous post, the legs look similar to the ones in my picture but yes the eyes are very different indeed.
Hi
I'd go for sparrowhawk too. Easy to check - just measure wing length - I know you can't unfold it, but a rough estimate will do
Sparrowhawks are sexually dimorphic with larger females. Male wing length is somewhere under 20cm and females are around 24cm (give or take a few cms on each for individual variation in size. The alternative is a goshawk, but these are much bigger.
Hope this helps
Mark
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