Used to happen on my Dad's conservatory frequently - he put some bird silhouette stickers on the windows and it stopped. Well done for the rescue!
Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, same bird over here. I practiced falconry for a number of years, during my apprenticeship this was one of two birds allowed, that or a red-tail hawk..
No Jim, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks are two different birds. Kestrels hover above their prey and drop down on them, usually voles or mice. You probably call them hover birds. Sparrowharks hit their prey in flight and bring them down, usually pigeons, and small birds. We have a lot of Sparrowharks around here, and I often find a pile of feathers in the garden, where a pigeon has met its end.
Easy Tiger, If a sparrowhawk is taking pigeons then you either have a lot bigger sparrowhawks or smaller pigeons! Looks like you looked up the difference on wikipedia. Is a kestrel the same as a Sparrowhawk? What is pictured is not a kestrel or sparrowhawk here in the US. This is our kestrel or sparrowhawk. The American kestrel (Falco sparverius), a North American falcon species, is also commonly referred to as a sparrowhawk. We are defiantly talking about two different birds! Cheers
Well Jim, If you want to call an American Kestrel a Sparrowhawk, that's your business. Over here in Britain our Kestrels are called ( Falco Tinnunculus ) while The Sparrowhawk is (Accipiter Nisus ) If you want to get your information off Wikipedia that's your problem. I've been into birds since I was a kid, and my information came from the R.S.P.B. Book of birds. Oh! and a female Sparrowhawk will down a pigeon with ease. Cheers
If you would do a little research you would see that we're both right, just that we live across the pond from each other and we are talking about different birds! Cheers mate, didn't mean to ruffle any feathers! LOL
