# Can anyone I.D. this bird?



## izzydog (Jan 18, 2008)

[attachment=0:1z5dhl9d]photo (2) (Small).JPG[/attachment:1z5dhl9d][attachment=1:1z5dhl9d]photo (1) (Small).JPG[/attachment:1z5dhl9d]This little feller showed up at work today and I don't know if it was injured or what but it wouldn't fly.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

Looks like a Peregrine Falcon to me.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Mr Muleskinner said:


> Looks like a Peregrine Falcon to me.


+1


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

It is a recently fledged American Kestrel ( or a sparrowhawk, as they used to call them). A small, robin-sized falcon that eats mostly mice, grasshoppers, and small birds. The bird is probably a juvenile and is just learning to fly


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

Zim is correct. :shock: :mrgreen:


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I'll take your word for it Zim.....but it sure looks like a young Peregrine to me. From the photos given what is the tell tale sign? Learn me up.


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## Wind In His Hair (Dec 31, 2009)

It's a kestrel. Those things are all over my place. Really cool birds. They are the ones that you will see hovering in place.


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## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

kestrel, had a fledging on our deck,helped it back to air before **** next door cat seen it cool birds


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

When did sparrowhawks start getting called fancy schmancy names like "kestrel"?

That bird's a sparrowhawk.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Ahhhh sparrow hawks. Growing up my dad was a falconer and we had a couple of these guys. Sure are neat little creatures. LOTS of work from what I can remember. When my dad had to leave town, he had to give the bird to someone else with a falconer's license / permit or he'd have to take the bird with him if he had to work somewhere in state.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

BirdDogger said:


> When did sparrowhawks start getting called fancy schmancy names like "kestrel"?
> 
> 1963
> 
> That bird's a sparrowhawk.


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## a_bow_nut (Feb 25, 2009)

Do they make a kind of whooping sound while they are hovering? 

There is something at work that we could hear but took awhile to tie the sound to a bird that flys around there at dusk.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

a_bow_nut said:


> Do they make a kind of whooping sound while they are hovering?
> 
> There is something at work that we could hear but took awhile to tie the sound to a bird that flys around there at dusk.


I believe you are talking about a nighthawk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nighthawk


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## polarbear (Aug 1, 2011)

I used to do falcon monitoring for a living. That is definitely a Kestrel. Looks like a male.


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## El Casador (Aug 27, 2009)

I also know it as a sparrow hawk! some people also know it as the kestral! that was news to me!


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> I also know it as a sparrow hawk! some people also know it as the kestral! that was news to me!


We must have missed the news broadcast that Goob remembers from 1963. :lol:

The bird is genus _falco sparverius_, translated as "falcon of the sparrows" (e.g. sparrowhawk; kestrel is French for "ratchet").


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

BirdDogger said:


> > I also know it as a sparrow hawk! some people also know it as the kestral! that was news to me!
> 
> 
> We must have missed the news broadcast that Goob remembers from 1963. :lol:
> ...


Before 1963 there were only sparrow hawks, chicken hawks, fish hawks and the Chicago Black Hawks.

Now there are 39 different types of hawks including accipiters and the Seattle Seahawks.


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## MKP (Mar 7, 2010)

Coolest bird watching moment I've ever had was with one of these guys. My mom has several bird feeders in her back yard that attract a ton of sparrows and finches. As we were watching from the patio doors a sparrow flew in front of the glass. Suddenly, a kestrel swooped in and grabbed it out of the air, right in front of us, all with in an arms reach. It was fantastic, watching it flare its wing and snatch that thing out of the air. Then it landed about twenty yards away and proceeded with its meal. Really awesome, wish I had video, but how do you plan for that? The icing on the cake was it was an invasive English Sparrow that was taken out.


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## izzydog (Jan 18, 2008)

Thanks for the replies! I figured it was a sparrow kestrel but I don't think I've ever seen one so close. I definitely didn't want to get caught in it's claws, they were pretty sharp looking. He was gone the next day so I hope he flew away.


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

proutdoors said:


> a_bow_nut said:
> 
> 
> > Do they make a kind of whooping sound while they are hovering?
> ...


I dare say you were hearing the "winnowing" of a Wilson's snipe. Basically, they are doing a mating flight and you are hearing the "humming" of their tail/wings as they dive towards the earth.

Did it sound like this:






Nighhawks make a cool sound also, kinda of a loud "mmmeeeeeep!"


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## a_bow_nut (Feb 25, 2009)

Yep that is the sound allright. Thanks Zim.

Cool now I can go snipe hunting for real now. LOL


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