Small Raptor ID, London Ontario (no pic) (1 Viewer)

I see this bird almost everyday from my work, so I can't snap a pic.
But I see it enough to have some good info that might help me to identify what bird this is.

From the looks of it, the bird is medium sized, maybe the size of a rock pigeon, with a slimmer build.

It usually sits atop a very tall pine tree in an urban park, and when it flies, it does not soar like most raptors I have seen, but rather flaps its wings very quickly, and has an extremely erratic flight pattern. WHen it does soar, it soars low to the ground, and not in circles like hawks or turkey vultures, but rather it soars in a straight line.

It is brownish with a lighter underside.

I am guessing it is a raptor because it does hunt when doing it's crazy flight thingy inbetween trees.



ANy direction of help is appreciated


Len

Hmmm, maybe an American Kestrel?

http://www.birding.com/images/3553kes.jpg

(male on the left, female on the right)

A sharp shinned hawk would be my guess. The type of flight that you describe sounds like an accipiter.