FW: [canberrabirds] Need help with Identification

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Hello Obaidul,

 

Is this a first posting from you? I would give this one a 90% + confidence on being a Brown Goshawk because of a few things. Given the prey as a Crested Pigeon, the hawk is obviously large and it appears quite robust in shape. I think the plumage stage is early in the intermediate between juvenile and adult. The Collared Sparrowhawk doesn't usually show that mix of characters at that age, they go from juvenile to adult stage (though I might need to research that a bit). The feet are not shown well enough to pick the difference but appear fairly solid looking, The beak is fairly big relative to the head. There is a brow ridge,  though not overly prominent in that photo, it is enough to look more like a BG. The tip of the tail is not showing, so that doesn't help.

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Obaidul Haque [
Sent: Saturday, 17 April 2010 7:40 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Need help with Identification

Hi,

I photographed this raptor preying on a crested pigeon this morning at Palmerston (35º12’00.70”S, 149º07’11.43”E).

Is it a Brown Goshawk, or a Collared Sparrowhawk? Would appreciate any help with identification. 

Thanks

Obaidul Haque

ANU