Feathers for ID

rowanberry
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Posts: 3,177

Feathers for ID Mar 9, 2017 11:50:27 GMT

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Post by rowanberry on Mar 9, 2017 11:50:27 GMT

Found these scattered about on the ground in the woods nearby, and wondered if it were a sparrowhawk kill and if so, what bird was it?

Most of the feathers were around this size, (the longest in the photos is around 6 1/4" in length, or 16cm.) and there weren't any of the downy ones around which makes me wonder if the sparrowhawk started to pluck its kill and then carried it away to finish the job.

Some of the shafts of the feathers are damaged and broken, but they also smell of fox scent so might have been discovered and chewed or played with.

It must have been a good-sized bird, but not a pigeon and I don't think they are from a magpie either. Was hoping someone here might have an idea!

03 Feathers by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr

01 Feathers by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr

02 Feathers by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr

NellyDee Supreme Member Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away Posts: 3,073	Feathers for ID Mar 9, 2017 13:42:45 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by NellyDee on Mar 9, 2017 13:42:45 GMT They do look like Magpie feather to me - could be Wood pigeon especially with the grey near the shaft.

accipiter
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Posts: 1,970

Feathers for ID Mar 10, 2017 20:15:07 GMT NellyDee likes this

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Post by accipiter on Mar 10, 2017 20:15:07 GMT

I am wondering if these are from a feral pigeon as I have found their feathers and remains in the woods before, I also use to keep feral, fantails, tumblers, and all sorts of fancy breeds, which only strengthens this belief. As you know feral pigeon come in all sorts of weird and wonderful feather patterns, but these below are all magpie feathers, I know for a fact this bird was shot and died later only later to be picked up by a fox. The feather on the right is six and quarter inches long whilst the largest is 7 inches long.

The very same thing could have happened with your bird which does frequently happen; these in the second photo are from of a wood pigeon and are a more typical example of a sparrow hawk kill with lots of a smaller plucked breast feathers showing, these sometimes form almost a perfect ring where the Sparrow hawk has stood.

Interestingly enough I have read that hawks can leave marks on larger feather shafts where they have and gripped it so tight, but I can honestly say I have never seen this in during the entire time I have studied this species, and so I can only deduce they were referring to goshawks and not Sparrowhawks.

Alan

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Post by rowanberry on Mar 9, 2017 11:50:27 GMT

Post by NellyDee on Mar 9, 2017 13:42:45 GMT

Post by accipiter on Mar 10, 2017 20:15:07 GMT