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Accipiter sp.
This raptor flew over our village and put to flight just about every bird in the village, including numerous starlings and collared doves. I was some distance away at the time and thought it was a Sparrowhawk but from the reaction of all the other birds it may have been a Harrier, of which we see several species here. Picture 1 shows some of the starlings below it - these could be either of the 2 species present during winter. Picture 2 is an enlargement of the raptor.
Flying over mountainside village.
Sparrowhawk; Gavilán = Accipiter nisus
Goshawk; Azor = Accipiter gentilis
Both appear very similar in flight but the Goshawk is larger.
Sparrowhawks are common in this location whereas Goshawk may be on the edge of its range. Most of the extensive wooded areas which the Goshawk favours and which used to be here were destroyed in the 2012 fire, the mountains are still largely bare and scorched.
Spotted on Jan 12, 2014
Submitted on Jan 23, 2014
2 Comments
Thanks Lenny, I have opted for Sparrowhawk with the possibility of Goshawk as per my Notes section above.
Hello Malcolm
You were right first time.With a tail that long,must be Sparrowhawk.
Only other choice would be Goshawk.