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Your Favourite Bird of prey. (1 Viewer)

Red Kite. Has to be. First saw them in mid-Wales several years ago - now all over the place, thank goodness.

Just love them and they stirred up my interest in birds of prey.

Saw black kites in Hong Kong harbour, but they are not nearly so handsome as their ruddy relative!

BUT I do love Golden Eagles and Peregrines, not to mention Ospreys and White Tailed Eagles. Kestrels are great and even the modest sparrow hawk cheers up my garden by keeping the collared doves on their toes!!

LOVE 'EM ALL!

Lesley
 
I holidayed in Penbrokeshire for years just on the offchance of seeing a Peregrine - hard to beat! Still a rarity in the 1970's, now they're nesting in London! I now live on the east Kent coast and see them all the time but they never loose their magic. Likewise I visited the Surrey heathland perchance to see a Hobby - which I did on my first trip in the 80's, now a trip to nearby Stodmarsh in the spring, up to 50 birds at a time can be seen!! The 3rd of my faves is the Eleonoras. I once watched a flock of 15 birds 'waiting on' high over a crowded beach in Kos in late August. They peeled off like Spitfires and laid into a group of warblers flying in off the sea - tailchasing the poor little souls till caught or till they dropped paniced and exhausted into the Med! Unforgetable.
 
many falcon-lovers, huh?

I wonder that so many of you mention falcons as their favourites; I wouldn't have expected that!
I think it's because they're so cute; nice little - pocket-format ( ;) ) - raptors, but otherwise talking about Gyr-falcons...

whatever it is...you're right: they are great - all of them
 
Yes falcons are popular and i think for the reasons as you stated. I think from a GB standpoint we also get to see them . We don't get many eagles and so maybe that effects our fauvorites.
just a thought?

I have mentioned fauvorites but they change sometimes when i get to see them.
I do love the Kestrel, i saw one Hovering at dawn and was so annoyed i did not have my camera.
The backdrop was the sun rising ,the kestrel hovering over a misty damp heath...What a photograph.Damn!
 
For me it has to be the African Fish Eagle. Once heard its call will never be forgotten.
For years I was lucky enough to live beside Lake Naivasha in Kenya. So they were a daily sight.
 
My favourite birds of prey are as follows

Striated Cara Cara (aka "Johnny Rook") - I spent 15 months in the Falklands and I had quite a few interesting "encounters" with these aerial muggers.

Turkey Vulture - Again from my time in the Falklands, they used to perch on the mess roof and walk about making a hell of a clattering noise.

Buzzard - The first British raptor I saw (recognised) after taking up birdwatching five years ago, I see buzzards almost daily and yet I never grow tired of watching them.

Sparrowhawk - the first and so far only raptor species to make it into my garden where a pair of them have been helping themselves to the occasional blackbird or starling.
 
PS: please don't mind me miscalling eagles as male but in german animals are not just neuter, thus it sounds extremely stupid to me to call them "it"[/QUOTE]
_____________

Not really. Each language has its idiosyncrasies.
Alle der/den/des beste. ;)
 
Really tough, but I'd have to say Northern Harrier or Rough-legged Hawk.

Runners up: Merlin, American Kestrel, Red-shouldered hawk, Goshawk, etc., etc., etc....!
 
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It would have to be the Bald Eagle for #1 followed by the pair of Merlins that live 5 minutes from me, they are allways in the same trees making the same noise.
 
Even though I've been lucky enough to have a Harpy fly just a few feet overhead...I prefer birds that indulge me more often.

My current favorite is the Short-eared Owl. Watching them work over a field as the day ends..with their big goofy wingbeats...so intent on hunting they fly so close that you have to put the bins down, yet almost always within a few minutes succesfully pouncing on a tasty rodent.

Got to see a bunch of Great Grays last January when they invaded Minnesota. If they were resident here they might knock the Short-ears down a notch.
 
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my local little owls do it for me,always there waiting and so obliging with good views,plucky little fuzzballs!,matt [gone owling]
 
Bill Atwood said:
Even though I've been lucky enough to have a Harpy fly just a few feet overhead...I prefer birds that indulge me more often.

My current favorite is the Short-eared Owl. Watching them work over a field as the day ends..with their big goofy wingbeats...so intent on hunting they fly so close that you have to put the bins down, yet almost always within a few minutes succesfully pouncing on a tasty rodent.

Got to see a bunch of Great Grays last January when they invaded Minnesota. If they were resident here they might knock the Short-ears down a notch.
Click to expand...

Wow..you saw a Harpy!!!! I agree with what you said, esp. in regard to the Short-eared owls. I have only seen one, but I got to study it for nearly an hour as it flew over the marsh in good (but fading) light. I figured it might have been a harrier, but when I zoomed in it was sitting on a post in the marsh. It flew around and perched in short trees at the edge of the marsh. It was one of my best birding experiences yet. I was totally fascinated by this bird and in some ways I can't wait 'til Winter to see them again around here. Man, all those northerners seem to have seen great grays...lucky!
 
zweiblumen said:
My favourite birds of prey are as follows

Striated Cara Cara (aka "Johnny Rook") - I spent 15 months in the Falklands and I had quite a few interesting "encounters" with these aerial muggers.

Turkey Vulture - Again from my time in the Falklands, they used to perch on the mess roof and walk about making a hell of a clattering noise.

Buzzard - The first British raptor I saw (recognised) after taking up birdwatching five years ago, I see buzzards almost daily and yet I never grow tired of watching them.

Sparrowhawk - the first and so far only raptor species to make it into my garden where a pair of them have been helping themselves to the occasional blackbird or starling.
Click to expand...


If you scroll back you will see my choice is the cara cara . The story i told about the scientists that landed on the Falklands is true.
They are marvellous birds and extremely intelligent.
Noisy, greedy, Run around like a Dinosaur but intelligent...I love em!
 
Osprey, Northern Harriers

I'd have to say the Osprey, because it is a fisherman like me. And, because they are awesomely cool to watch hover, dive for, catch and carry a fish away.

I also like to watch Northern Harriers cruising along the contours of the land, stopping short, and coming up with prey.


And White-tailed Kites hovering, and Red-tails stilling. They're all pretty cool...
 
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