I believe this is a female Collared Sparrowhawk, going by the head. References to ‘brow’ can be misleading. I would describe the goshawk eye as
typically ‘deeper set’ by contrast with the shallow-set or ‘pigeon eye’ or ‘button eye’ of the sparrowhawk. Both species can show a ridge above the eye which varies among individuals (according to age?). This is apparent in the below where only those in
top row are goshawks.
From: Philip Veerman <>
Sent: Thursday, 30 August 2018 10:29 PM
To: 'Julian Robinson' <>; 'Kerry Edwards' <>
Cc: 'canberrabirds chatline' <>
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Goshawk eats prey in suburban backyard - pics
Thanks. Amazing, puzzle piece. Even with 9 good, close, in-focus, photos I can’t be sure or at all close to 100% confident whether this is a Brown Goshawk (BG)
or a Collared Sparrowhawk (CS) with the Crested Pigeon. There just isn’t anything showing of the toes or tail tip to tell. In some photos the bird looks sturdy and in others rather slim. I think the tail is if anything showing as more forked or square than
rounded and the legs are sort of thin, both which would suggest it is a CS. There is a brow ridge, which probably suggests BG but I think it is less prominent than usual for a BG. The beak is full of feathers and so it is hard to tell if the beak is big or
small relative to the head (this is only a small difference). Size relative to the Pigeon might suggest it is a BG. That is about all the clues I can get from it. Anyone else want to be more definitive than me?
We have established that Collared Sparrowhawks do regularly kill Crested Pigeon in Canberra.
The photos are labelled as “Falcon” although clearly this is no falcon. Also certainly not the “Grey Goshawk (?)”
as asked.
Goshawks and others will start plucking and eating birds whilst still alive.
Philip
From: Julian Robinson
Sent: Thursday, 30 August, 2018 9:58 PM To: 'Kerry Edwards'
Cc: canberrabirds chatline
Subject: [canberrabirds] Goshawk eats prey in suburban backyard - pics
Thanks Kerry for sending some spectacular photos of your experience with a Brown Goshawk (and its unfortunate pigeon
L ). I’ll add them to the website photo gallery, in the meantime am herewith forwarding your email with photo links to the COG Chatline.
For the record, what suburb are you in, and are you close to bushland?
Best regards,
Julian
cogwebmaster
From: Kerry Edwards
Sent: Wednesday, 29 August 2018 7:10 PM
To:
Subject: Bird pictures
Hello Julian,
this Grey Goshawk (?) appeared on my back lawn with a crested pigeon poor thing was still alive.
Thought you might like these pictures for your website.
Kerry
