Goshawk or Sparrowhawk - Ågesta Sweden (1 Viewer)

Macswede

Macswede

• Apr 5, 2017

• #1

Clearly not a male sparrowhawk or a female goshawk but is it a female sparrowhawk or a male goshawk? I think the former and my wife thinks the latter.
At the site where it was seen both species are equally likely.

 

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tconzemi

Tom

Supporter

• Apr 5, 2017

• #2

Big Sparrowhawk

 

Macswede

Macswede

• Apr 5, 2017

• #3

Thanks Tom! I feel I'm going to win this one.

 

StuartReeves

Local rarity

• Apr 5, 2017

• #4

tconzemi said:

Big Sparrowhawk

Click to expand...

Yep. Among other things, the barring on the secondaries is too well defined for an adult Gos.

 

Biancone

to err is human

• Apr 5, 2017

• #5

Yep, also, allowing for wing angle they are too short & broad for Gos; bill not prominent enough; you'd expect the body to be even more bulky around the belly, and the white undertail coverts, even when not flared, usually look larger in Gos.

Brian

 

John Cantelo

Well-known member

• Apr 5, 2017

• #6

As I've observed before, albeit a little tongue in cheek, a good rule of thumb is if you just think it might be a Goshawk, then it's probably a Sparrowhawk but if you think Phoar!Look at that! then it may well be a Gos.

 

Torchepot

Well-known member

• Apr 5, 2017

• #7

Interesting that the feet are entirely invisible - I think a Gos's talons would be too big to hide?

Great shot by the way!

 

Macswede

Macswede

• Apr 5, 2017

• #8

Thanks very much for these pointers.