Collared dove killed (1 Viewer)

[Nbrown981]

Hello,
I made an account today to hopefully find some answers form helpful people in the know as I wasn’t getting much from Google.
I have a pair of collared doves nesting outside my bedroom window, there is always one of them in the nest and they often feed in my garden. I went away for the wknd, came back to check on them and the nest was empty which really surprised me. I went into the garden and at the end under a tree I found a collared dove, decapitated. I was really sad as it’s likely it was Deidre or Ken (the doves outside my window). Would anyone know what is likely to have killed it? I do have a brazen fox that comes into the garden which I try to deter and last week saw a black cat. Is it likely to be either of those or perhaps a sparrowhawk even though I’ve never seen one near the garden?
Thanks for any help or knowledge you could share. Thank you.

 

[Lisa W]

Hi and welcome to the forum on behalf of the staff and moderators. I think you will find us a friendly and helpful group. From what I have read, it was most likely a cat or a Sparrowhawk.

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum.

I’m not sure that a cat would decapitate the bird and leave it.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Nbrown and a warm welcome from me too. It's rather hard to say what's happened. Usually a Sparrowhawk will pluck a bird on the spot then take it away, just leaving a pile of feathers, they don't normally decapitate them in my experience. Not sure it would be a cat either.

Many years ago I had a nest of kittens in my hay loft. Every few days when I was up to get some hay, I'd find one dead, also decapitated. The only thing I could think of at the time was rats but I never solved the mystery.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi Nbrown and a warm welcome to you

 

[Chris G6 UXU]

Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.

 

[Fritz73]

Hola! Welcome to Birdforum

 

[Eyupmiduck]

So very sad and the main reason why any cats of mine live indoors. My parents had two long-lived cats during my years of living with them. Smartie would kill and devour everything she caught but Smokey would play with everything until it was dead and then leave it. Foxes kill chickens etc just for the sake of a bit of fun, you'd find feathers everywhere. I cannot think what would just take the head. I have never come across a Sparrowhawk to know their style.