Male Kestrel help (1 Viewer)

[lapwing1]

I am hoping someone can help me with some advice regarding a male kestrel problem that an old regular on another forum has been having. (I hope I have posted this in the right place).

The lady in question has had a male kestrel hanging around her garden for the past few days now, not occasional visits but walking across her lawn, staying there for very long periods of time and today he tried to swoop from one of the trees in her garden and attempt to take on one of two pigeons as supper which failed obviously. The kestrel is there each day in and around her garden and she has film footage of him perched low in one of her trees. It definately is a male Kestrel.

What I hope someone can help with is why would a kestrel be spending so much time in someone's garden acting in a manner that is not common for these birds? Hunger? Immaturity? Illness? Another question she would like answered is that Can you recognise an immature male from an adult male at this time of year? It would help if she could try to discern any differences.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Katy Penland]

Is she absolutely sure it's a Kestrel and not a Sparrowhawk? Sure sounds more like Sparrowhawk behavior than Kestrel -- which I thought only fed on small rodents, not birds, especially not pigeon-sized birds. :h?:

I'm sure someone will be along shortly from the UK who can be of more help. :t:

 

[lapwing1]

Hi Katy and thanks,

It is a male a kestrel. She has posted stills from footage on the BBC Science and Nature board which is about to close on friday. Initially she thought herself it may be a Sparrowhawk but it isn't, looking at the stills she has tried to take from film footage it is a male kestrel.

I am hoping to give her a bit of help before the board closes because of her worries that his behaviour is not natural for this type of bird. It seems he is being very bold for a kestrel, walking on the ground and not straying far from her garden, keeping his hunts focused on trying to initially catch the smaller birds in her garden. (I thought myself initially, definetly Sparrowhawk behaviour but it isn't). If anyone would like to take a look at her stills and help, please go to the BBC Science and Nature messageboards, go to Wildlife and Look for a post on Sparrowhawk by Annie7cats.

I would appreciate it so much.

Thanks.

 

[Katy Penland]

Yep, you and she are right -- looks like a Kestrel. I wonder if it's an escaped bird since it's acting so un-Kestrel-like? (As the UK is pretty much already in bed, I'm sure someone will be along in a few hours who'll be able to better help.)

You should have Annie join BirdForum and post her photos/questions in the "Bird Identification & Taxonomy Q&A" sub-forum. :t:

 

[FalconBirder]

Hi Lapwing1

The bird depicted in the three video grabs is an adult male Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).

As Katy suggests, one reason for it's boldness could be the fact that it has escaped from captivity. Ask your friend to look out for rings on its legs if it comes back, or perhaps she could carefully scrutinise the video recording?

Having said that, despite the rather poor images, the feather condition looks suprisingly good for a captive bird - unless it was kept particularly well, in which case it's highly likely to be ringed.

Alternatively, wild Kestrels can be quite bold at times, particularly if they find a good food source. Kestrels regularly take small birds and some individuals do appear to learn the knack of catching them effectively.

Kestrels can also spend quite long periods on the ground - though not normally walking around on garden lawns. However, if your friend's garden is relatively secluded and the Kestrel feels safe (from cats for example), it may not be that surprising. Has she seen it apparently picking at the ground, perhaps seeking the odd light invertebrate snack?

My advice is to keep watching and enjoy the performance as I doubt that it will hang around very long.

Best regards,

FalconBirder

 

[clairekestrel]

hi if you can tell its male from the colour of the head and tail (grey) it is an adult bird, I take it its not wearing falconry equipment, if not and its hanging round this much it is probably starving or sick, if the person can actually walk up and catch it it is very sick and needs to go to a rehabber, leaving mice bought from a pet shop which supplies food for reptiles may help it get through the winter

 

[Cosworthlady]

Hello all. My name is Ann and its me that has the beautiful visitor in my garden. I will post much better pics at the weekend when I am able to connect the video camera up to the PC.

The kestrel doesnt have any rings on it. It doesnt look starving but I think my sparrow population has made my garden very popular. I had a kestrel (maybe the same one?) here in the summer when it failed miserably to kill a baby starling. I had to get the sspca out to take the poor wee thing away as it was left with a few holes on it and missing a few feathers. No ome chased the kestrel off it, it just left it itself. This kestrel has been in the street again this morning as my partner Tony was parking the car when he seen it flying in a straight line over head away from him. he said it then turned back on itself and just a few feet away from his car on the road it swooped down and took something black off the ground. It all happened so very quickly that he didnt get a chance to see what it took. Actually I can hear it overhead as I speak. Its a lovely sunny day here so my windows are open.

Before |I go I have one more question. Is it a conincidence that since the kestrel has appeared a few crows have also turned up?

Will come back later with any new sighting I might have although I think the weather being much quieter now may mean it can move on. I'll miss it. Maybe ,y sparrows will return then? LOL


Ann

 

[Cosworthlady]

some pics. still not very good.

 

[halftwo]

some pics. still not very good.

Hi Cosworthlady,
Have been looking at your pics here & reading the thread re. the very unusual behaviour of this bird.
Something strikes me as odd about the profile (& behaviour)- I can't see any colour at all on the pics.
I think the shape looks more like American kestrel - just something about the relative head size & tail length fit more for Am. kes.
Do you have any pics which show the colour?
Halftwo

 

[FalconBirder]

Hi Ann

Thanks for sharing the additional images - it's good to see the Kestrel perching on more typical higher perches and to learn that you think he isn't starving.

The arrival of the Carrion Crows in the close vicinity of your house may well have been prompted by the appearance of the Kestrel for two reasons:

a) Crows are intelligent and inquisitive creatures that like to mob and hassle most birds of prey (especially any new arrival on their block); and,

b) Experience may have taught these Crows that sometimes raptors can lead them to an easy meal, secured either by scaring off or forcing a raptor to relinquish its kill, or by picking up the scraps left after a raptor has fed.

No doubt the Crows are residents in your area but probably normally range more widely and are therefore less visible. The presence of the Kestrel could very likely have caused them to hang around your place much more than usual.

Keep watching and best regards,

FalconBirder

 

[bitterntwisted]

This is the thread on the BBC boards: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbsn/F2648936?thread=3705648

And these are the video stills which show the plumage. Halftwo, definitely not American Kestrel, IMHO.

 

[halftwo]

Graham
LOL,ever wished you'd had the full info. before putting your foot right in mouth?!
H

 

[jason stannage]

HI
Ann the bird in the pic is a male kestrel, looks in loverly shape, maybe a bit slim but its winter, ive kept these birds for years and you wont believe the tricks they can get up to, ive had them jumping on golf balls, the bird looks in fine feather so i would rule out an escape bird but you can never really tell, in the wild ive seen these take worms and a full size rabbit, the bird in your garden will stay as there is a good chance of food, if your worried about the bird, try putting out 1day old chicks you can get these in local pet shops ,they our already dead so no need to worry, this is the most common falconers food so if the bird has escaped it will take the chick no problem let me no how you get on .

 

[jason stannage]

Hi Cosworthlady,
Have been looking at your pics here & reading the thread re. the very unusual behaviour of this bird.
Something strikes me as odd about the profile (& behaviour)- I can't see any colour at all on the pics.
I think the shape looks more like American kestrel - just something about the relative head size & tail length fit more for Am. kes.
Do you have any pics which show the colour?
Halftwo

its not unusal behaviour its very common,american kestrel :clap: lol

 

[bitterntwisted]

Graham
LOL,ever wished you'd had the full info. before putting your foot right in mouth?!
H

H,

I've often had every conceivable piece of info and still put my foot in my mouth.

BTW, I think something weird may have happened with the aspect ratio of the silhouette shots, if that makes you feel any better.

Graham

 

[bitterntwisted]

its not unusal behaviour its very common,american kestrel :clap: lol

A little harsh. Most of our Kestrels, in the wild, hunt small mammals most of the time. I've often seen them hunt invertebrates, sometimes on the ground, but I've only seen Kestrels hawk birds three times, and whilst it is a frequently recorded behaviour I think it is still unusual, and not "very common".

Graham

 

[mike from ebbw]

HI
Ann the bird in the pic is a male kestrel, looks in loverly shape, maybe a bit slim but its winter, ive kept these birds for years and you wont believe the tricks they can get up to, ive had them jumping on golf balls, the bird looks in fine feather so i would rule out an escape bird but you can never really tell, in the wild ive seen these take worms and a full size rabbit, the bird in your garden will stay as there is a good chance of food, if your worried about the bird, try putting out 1day old chicks you can get these in local pet shops ,they our already dead so no need to worry, this is the most common falconers food so if the bird has escaped it will take the chick no problem let me no how you get on .

i am surprised you seen one take a fully grown rabbit.i`ve seen a buzzard struggle with a rabbit.

 

[jason stannage]

A little harsh. Most of our Kestrels, in the wild, hunt small mammals most of the time. I've often seen them hunt invertebrates, sometimes on the ground, but I've only seen Kestrels hawk birds three times, and whilst it is a frequently recorded behaviour I think it is still unusual, and not "very common".

Graham

very fair comment

 

[jason stannage]

i am surprised you seen one take a fully grown rabbit.i`ve seen a buzzard struggle with a rabbit.

hi mike
ive seen buzzards sruggle with rats and kestrels no problem

 

[Keith Glasgow]

A full size rabbit? I'm not calling you a liar, but I can't imagine one taking even a half size rabbit - correct me if I'm wrong.

Zek.