Decapitated wood pigeon (1 Viewer)

[Albert Hall]

I often go down my garden to be confronted by a pile of feathers in a neat circle but no bird or remnant of one. Now and again I come across feathers with a beak and the odd leg, generally belonging to an unfortunate blackbird. I've seen a female sparrow hawk having a good feed now and again but I'm baffled as to what is taking the other birds as judging by the feathers are wood pigeon or collared doves so a bit on the large side for a sparrow hawk. Today, I found a wood pigeon minus the head with no other marks and all the feathers intact.
can anybody throw any light on this?
Cheers in advance.:cat: or is it one of these?

 

[Bird_Bill]

Lose mourning doves & feral pigeons to one of our accipiters here, a cooper's hawk. Believe its a hair bigger than sparrowhawk. Most often it will make kill around feeder then move to more secluded area in yard to feed. Normally shows difference to that of neighborhood cat ranchers free ranging stock.
Cats consume where bird is caught.

 

[Firecrest5]

Collar doves are the food of choice for the spar that hunts the gardens around here.

The headless pigeon will be a spar kill where the spar was disturbed.

 

[blueshortwing]

Collar doves are the food of choice for the spar that hunts the gardens around here.

The headless pigeon will be a spar kill where the spar was disturbed.

I agree, almost certainly correct.

 

[Albert Hall]

Thankyou gents for replies.Have committed its body to the ground. The pigeon that is, shame though it would have made a good meal.

 

[Brian2]

I agree with the guys Albert, I have a regular Sprawk coming to my garden for Dove or Pigeon and have seen it take wood pigeon which is impressive (and sad at the same time as they eat the bird without killing it which is a little unpleasant to watch but I suppose it's only nature.)

 

[d.steeley]

We have found dead Woodpigeons in our garden in the past and left them for a while. The Sparrowhawk has returned later in the day to eat and if disturbed carry off it's prey.

Dave

 

[Bird_Bill]

Seems pretty much same with cooper's here. Bird will be mobbed by jays, fly away a short distance with prey and then continue repast. Often upon moving it will mantle for a short time, if coast is clear, eat. Has been a couple/few times were I was to interupt by accident and chance. Bird did abandon prey altogether and didnt return for it. Taught me be more careful in entering back lot. Can almost always tell by activity around feeder if "bully bird" is around. Feral cats are much a problem here. Lost a beautiful fox sparrow earlier in year to some folks pet, still a bit grumpy about it.

 

[June Atkinson]

I often go down my garden to be confronted by a pile of feathers in a neat circle but no bird or remnant of one. Now and again I come across feathers with a beak and the odd leg, generally belonging to an unfortunate blackbird. I've seen a female sparrow hawk having a good feed now and again but I'm baffled as to what is taking the other birds as judging by the feathers are wood pigeon or collared doves so a bit on the large side for a sparrow hawk. Today, I found a wood pigeon minus the head with no other marks and all the feathers intact.
can anybody throw any light on this?
Cheers in advance.:cat: or is it one of these?

No surprise - we went to Leighton Moss some time ago.
When we arrived and entering the reserve, I noticed a sparrowhawk on the opposite side of the lane, with a woodpigeon. Despite all the folk going past, the sparrowhawk continued to rip apart and devour the unfortunate pigeon.
We have a female sparrowhawk which glides through our garden here in Northumberland on a regular basis. Whilst she takes the occasional small bird, I have yet to see her go fo a pigeon or indeed any of the larger birds we have all day long.

 

[Stonefaction]

Disturbed a female Sparrowhawk on a Stock Dove last year. Poor bird was still alive with a large hole around the mantle area. It tried to hide in the long grass. When we came back later, there wasn't much left of the unfortunate Stock Dove, but we were able to see what it had been eating earlier....

 

[Boom]

Yep, i have seen Sparrowhawks take Woodpigeon and Collared Doves quite a few times in various places, although the impact on the overall numbers is no doubt a drop in the ocean.

Fantastic to witness an attack but they do like their meals fresh- which can make it a little uncomfortable to see i suppose but that`s life (or death)

cheers

 

[Albert Hall]

Oh dear, I wish I hadn't buried the thing now, there were a few flies hanging around though.