Staten Island, New York, USA - 2017 Feb 4 Need help identifying prey of probable juve (1 Viewer)

jkonviser · Feb 8, 2017

I took these 3 photos of a hawk that landed in my backyard and was eating another bird. I believe the hawk is a juvenile cooper's and would like confirmation. However, I'm really curious if anyone can identify the bird the hawk is eating. Is that another raptor, possibly a chick?

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.

howiewu · Feb 8, 2017

Photo?

jkonviser · Feb 8, 2017

jkonviser said:
I took these 3 photos of a hawk that landed in my backyard and was eating another bird. I believe the hawk is a juvenile cooper's and would like confirmation. However, I'm really curious if anyone can identify the bird the hawk is eating. Is that another raptor, possibly a chick?

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.

Sorry technical problem attaching photos. This should work, I hope.

D Halas · Feb 8, 2017

I have no guess as to what's being eaten, but the bird doing the eating is a Merlin.

fugl · Feb 8, 2017

Agree, Merlin eating unidentifiable avian prey.

howiewu · Feb 8, 2017

Agree with Merlin. Prey is really not identifiable, but, maybe, maybe it is an European Starling.

jkonviser · Feb 8, 2017

Merlin? That's a surprise. I was undecided between Cooper's and Sharp Shined hawk.
What got me interested in the bird being eaten is its rather long legs and raptor like talons. I guess I'll never know.

nartreb · Feb 8, 2017

Yes, I noticed the fairly large feet of the prey too. Not thick enough for a raptor, and maybe not large enough for a rail, but too big for something like a sparrow. Would be OK for an icterid, I think, but they should be gone in the winter and they tend to have black legs anyway.

I don't think it's a starling - too brown.

There can't be too many species with pale legs, largish feet and brown body feathers resident on Staten Island in the winter...

jkonviser · Feb 8, 2017

Perhaps one clue to the pray id is that the location is very close to the shore. Could it be shore bird?

ovenbird43 · Feb 8, 2017

jkonviser said:
Perhaps one clue to the pray id is that the location is very close to the shore. Could it be shore bird?

None have feet like that.

As far as I know, none of the expected icterids have pale legs as seen in the photo, though body color suggests female Brown-headed Cowbird which wouldn't be unusual this time of year. Could any Starlings still be in grayish juvenile plumage this time of year?

Nutcracker · Feb 8, 2017

ovenbird43 said:
Could any Starlings still be in grayish juvenile plumage this time of year?

No, but all the contour feathers look to have been plucked, and it only has down left. Not sure what colour a Starling's down feathers are, but I'd agree with those who think that's what it is :t:

KC Foggin · Feb 8, 2017

Hi there from a former Staten Islander and on behalf of the entire staff here at BirdForum :t:

Definitely a Merlin and it is surprising to see it eating a bird of that size. Not so much eating but catching a bird of that size. I'm wondering if it could have possibly have been a road kill that it took advantage of. I've never seen a Merlin prey on birds that size.

Nutcracker · Feb 8, 2017

KC Foggin said:
Definitely a Merlin and it is surprising to see it eating a bird of that size. Not so much eating but catching a bird of that size. I'm wondering if it could have possibly have been a road kill that it took advantage of. I've never seen a Merlin prey on birds that size.

They can, and significantly larger - prey up to the size of e.g. Bar-tailed Godwit, approx twice their own weight :t:

jkonviser · Feb 9, 2017

Nutcracker said:
They can, and significantly larger - prey up to the size of e.g. Bar-tailed Godwit, approx twice their own weight :t:

Hello, fellow Staten Islander! You may be interested to learn that we now have a pair Bald eagles. First in 100 years in New York city!

In a last ditch effort I magnified the pray portion of the photo as much as possible in my picture editing software. Perhaps it will help. Or not.

KC Foggin · Feb 9, 2017

That is a much better closeup so hopefully one of our geniuses will figure out what bird belongs to those feet

Good to hear about the Bald Eagles. They're making a comeback here as well.

Nutcracker · Feb 9, 2017

jkonviser said:
In a last ditch effort I magnified the pray portion of the photo as much as possible in my picture editing software. Perhaps it will help. Or not.

There's a brown mantle or wing covert feather hanging over the Merlin's foot; makes me think perhaps one of the larger sparrows, perhaps something like a White-throated Sparrow?

nartreb · Feb 9, 2017

On closer view the feet aren't as big as I'd thought, nor are the legs as long - mostly they just look big in proportion to a bird that's missing its head and tail. It's looking less like an icterid (or something of that size and shape), and more like a sparrow (or ditto).

(I still don't see any hint of starling plumage, and I think Nutcracker's lone feather does rule that out, but the feet actually look quite good for starling.)

jkonviser · Feb 10, 2017

Thanks to all who responded to my question.

KC Foggin · Feb 10, 2017

So where on Staten Island are you from? I grew up in 4 corners and then moved to Annadale.

Staten Island, New York, USA - 2017 Feb 4 Need help identifying prey of probable juve (1 Viewer)

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