Bird of prey over my garden in Sevenoaks, Kent UK (1 Viewer)

[Oaks79]

Hi can someone please identify this bird for me please, it flew over my garden this morning, I'm in Sevenoaks, Kent. We have had a lone Parakeet in the tree the last few days so wonder if this bird was after that.

Also would this bird be able to take a chihuahua ?

 

[Jos Stratford]

It's a Red Kite, an increasingly common bird in England. Little dogs are not big on its diet menu 👍

 

[dantheman]

Hi can someone please identify this bird for me please, it flew over my garden this morning, I'm in Sevenoaks, Kent. We have had a lone Parakeet in the tree the last few days so wonder if this bird was after that.

Also would this bird be able to take a chihuahua ?

Can't see your video, only sound.

Most likely a Red Kite or Sparrowhawk though. Your Chihuahua should be safe in either case ...

 

[Jos Stratford]

.

Most likely a Red Kite or Sparrowhawk though ...

Pretty good guess if you couldn't see the video 👍

 

[Andy Adcock]

And to be a pedant, it's a bird of 'prey'.

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.

Yep, red kite. No, it won’t take your dog.

 

[Bewick]

Red kites are mainly scavengers, don't worry it won't harm your dog.

 

[ryckfour]

Red kites are mainly scavengers, don't worry it won't harm your dog.

… or the parakeet

 

[Butty]

… or the parakeet

Unfortunately.

 

[moose1991]

Also would this bird be able to take a chihuahua ?

Only if it was already dead.

 

[PYRTLE]

Only if it was already dead.

Or a Norwegian Blue! *

* For those of a certain age.

 

[Oaks79]

Thanks everyone 👍. The chihuahua is my neighbours and she was worried, tbh I wouldn't mind if it went for a trip with the bird bloody yapping all time (joking).

So what does the Red Kite eat ?

 

[Kits]

Red Kite - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

You may find the above helpful. Red Kites tend to eat carrion but sometimes take small birds and rabbits.

In my area, there have been instances of people throwing chicken carcasses for the kites in gardens, which really isn’t to be recommended.

 

[Julie50]

Unfortunately - or perhaps fortunately - I am of that age!

Or a Norwegian Blue! *

* For those of a certain age.

 

[KC Foggin]

Welcome aboard Oaks

 

[Sazzyox]

Thanks everyone 👍. The chihuahua is my neighbours and she was worried, tbh I wouldn't mind if it went for a trip with the bird bloody yapping all time (joking).

So what does the Red Kite eat ?

Amazing birds to watch!! Dumfries and Galloway (Scotland) has a Red Kite trail and also a feeding station, and it’s absolutely amazing to see them. They do get fed meat sometimes and I think they hunt a lot of road kill(?). Don’t quote me on that though haha! The giveaway for the kite is the tail. ☺️

 

[Steve Heath]

Shakespeare refers to red kites and crows on the streets of London. The kites fed on discarded food like gulls at a rubbish tip. They also snatched linen from washing lines as bedding for the nests. The chihuahua is safe but your Y-fronts are in imminent peril 😂

 

[Butty]

Shakespeare refers to red kites

Just 'kites'.

 

[dantheman]

Just 'kites'.

Interesting.

Quick google search says that historically Black Kite has never bred in the UK (it has very recently I believe as a rarity)

And eg

Shakespeare's Kite - red or black?

Re-posting this here, since it was getting lonely over in the bleak uplands of the Birds of Prey section....... Reading the other thread on "have Eagle Owls ever been native to Britain?", I got to thinking about the recent explosion of Red Kites across wide areas of the UK. One of the themes...

www.birdforum.net

 

[Steve Heath]

Just assumed the bard was refering to a red kite. Didn’t occur to me they may have been black kites. Is this a long standing debate in the birding world?