Anyone know about Haws, Falcons? What is this?

[DOC]

From what I have found on the internet so far, is this a Northern Goshawk?

We have a major pigeon problem now that we live out in the country, so to speak. Damn things are crapping all over everything. So I got this pigeon trap. I have trapped and dispatched about 30 pigeons so far. The doves are in abundance too, however they don't bother me, they don't sit on the roof and crap in the pool. They walk into the trap, but the trap doors are designed so that they can squeeze through and walk back out. Little buggers eat all the cracked corn before the pigeons can get to them.

So this morning there were about 6 doves in the cage three outside the cage and two pigeons walking around outside the cage. The same two that are very smart, and eat cracked corn around the cage, fly up on the roof crap on the cool decking and then fly across the street to one of the neighbors roofs and give me the finger all day long.

So after having my coffee all the birds are gone except for one dove inside the cage. There always seems to be one or two that are just content to hang out inside the cage and eat corn and drink water.

So I go take my shower and come back out and HOLY CRAP, I have this enormous bird sitting on the top of the cage drooling over this little dove. It was really cool seeing this magnificent bird up close. He hung around about 15 minutes and then got bored and flew to the top of a tree and then flew away. It worries me though because we have two little Yorkies that are about 4 to 5 pounds each.

Attached are the pictures, I am betting someone here can give me an education on this amazing creature.

Thanks!

Doc

[grubstake]

Doc, it looks like to me like a RED Tailed hawk, we have lots here, as far as your pidgons go, try getting a plastic barn owl, with a moterized head, the has a remote contol or a timer. my uncle in Monterey has problems with pidgons too, and got one at OHS Orchard suppy. it works. Grubstake

[DOC]

Grubby, I have two of those owls on my roof that are motioned activated. Their heads spin around and they go HOOOO HOOOOO, I swear, the pigeons have sex with them. I go outside and look on the roof and the Owls heads are spinning around like Linda Blair in the exorcist, and the pigeons are standing right next to them. But they really must scare the crap out of the pigeons because there is shit is everywhere!

Doc

[DOC]

I don't think this is a red tailed, red tails have rather short tails, this one had a very long tail.

Doc

[sawmill]

Doc

I have to agree with Grubstake. There is several sub species of Red Tails.

An adult Goshawk is more gray with mottled spots on its back and wings.

Also they stay near timbered areas. Their main food source is mice and voles.

If it was a Goshawk ,it would have a Forest Service employee standing guard

over it too. Also your home would be declared as its new habitat,and you would

be evicted.

What you need is a Peregrine Falcon, they eat every pigeon they find.

[DOC]

Here's another picture.

[DOC]

First picture is a red tailed hawk, the second is a Goshawk.

[sawmill]

DOC

It still don't look like a Goshawk. Adult Goshawks have a white stripe

over their eyes that look like large eyebrows. They are more of a blue

gray color and have red eyes.

They will eat about anything from a mouse to a rabbit. But most of the

ones I have seen like to sit hidden on lower branches and dive on mice

chipmunks and voles. They are not timid either,and will attack if you

get too close to their nest. Goshawks are as big or bigger than Red Tails.

Their wings are shorter and kind of blocky. They hardly ever migrate far

from their home territory.

Between the Goshawks and Spotted Owls its hard to keep all the information

straight,but if you have ever saw either one ,you will never mistake it for

another bird. We have both plus Golden Eagles,Bald Eagles,Peregrine Falcons,

and a host of other hawks and owls.

Personally I would rather have the pigeons,never had a timber sale shut down

because of pigeons.

[sawmill]

DOC

Here is two pictures of a Northern Goshawk,just like the ones that

the Fish and Wildlife issue to us loggers. Some of the internet pictures

are not Goshawks. Some of the greenies are over zealous and the

pictures and information is not always right.

I have worked with the Goshawk study people for quite a few years,

and know several nesting sites.

[pike335]

doc,

looks like a coopers hawk to me, have seen several up close. definately not a north american red tailed hawk, i see them daily.

i did just notice your post about the long tail. when the wings are tucked like your pics, if the ends of the wings are even with the end of the tail it would be a falcon. still, it looks a bit large for a falcon, and the wings dont look long enough.

i'd say a coopers hawk.

dave makkos

[Tony Teixeira]

Grubby, I have two of those owls on my roof that are motioned activated. Their heads spin around and they go HOOOO HOOOOO, I swear, the pigeons have sex with them. I go outside and look on the roof and the Owls heads are spinning around like Linda Blair in the exorcist, and the pigeons are standing right next to them. But they really must scare the crap out of the pigeons because there is shit is everywhere!

Doc

lol, now that is funny DOC! Almost made me spit out my coffee.

We have tha same issue at one of our UPS facilities, we have the same owls (except I don't think their heads are spinning, but they do make noise) and they worked for about a week.

Tony Teixeira

[DOC]

doc,

looks like a coopers hawk to me, have seen several up close. definately not a north american red tailed hawk, i see them daily.

i did just notice your post about the long tail. when the wings are tucked like your pics, if the ends of the wings are even with the end of the tail it would be a falcon. still, it looks a bit large for a falcon, and the wings dont look long enough.

i'd say a coopers hawk.

dave makkos

I could go for a Cooper's Hawk, because I too have seen Red Tailed Hawks where I prospect, they are all over the pplace. If this is a Red Tailed it's unlike any I have ever seen. I was amazed at how bold the thing was he was all over the cage, on the ground running around the cage trying to get to that dove.

Then he flew up and sat in a tree for a while, and then flew off.

Doc

[grubstake]

Doc, put up a big picture of Hillery Clinton, Her husband won't even have sex with her! And She scares the hell out of me. Grubstake If the pidgons crap on it, well it might make her look better, and no one would care.

[DOC]

Here's some more pictures. I could kick myself because I had my camera on low resolution. I weas so excited to clcik as many pictures as I could I forgot to check my settings.

[DOC]

I forgot I took a video with my camera.

[The Shadow]

Looks like a young Harris Hawk to me. I had one show up on my front door about 7 years ago that was a captive released and VERY tame. It lived on our dining table for a few days until AZGFD found a raptor club that came and took him. Cool bird and they are usually part of a larger group that hunts in packs. I don't see near as many of them as I did years back around Phoenix.

Oh yeah... Give him the Dove by staking it down outside the cage. Looks like he needs it.

[FrogMick]

Doc, I believe it is an immature Goshawk. The immature Goshawk is the exact same color with yellow eyes as the one in your photos. The mature Goshawk is as sawmill described with the bluish grey and slate grey with the white blaze above each red eye. The mature Goshawk is a large hawk with the female larger than the male. The immature Goshawk thrives on small birds including doves and pigeons as it grows to maturity to hunts ducks, rabbits and other large prey. Here's a good reference for the Goshawk that has some good photos.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goshawk

[sawmill]

DOC

Looks like pike335 knows his chicken hawks.

According to the Forest Service bird lady,it is a female,pre adult

Coopers Hawk. You just happen to live in one of their migration routes.

The pre adults migrate a week or two ahead of the adults.

The Coopers Hawk is a close relative of the Goshawk.

Here is how to tell the difference between them. The young Goshawk

has black bars that runs from the breast all the way on the under side

to the base of the tail. The tail of the Goshawk is shorter and blocky .

The Goshawk has white stripes over the eyes like eyebrows.

On a Coopers Hawk the bars are brown and only extend to the leg

area. It has a longer and more rounded tail. The Coopers Hawk is

the classic chicken hawk . Also the Coopers Hawk is the only hawk

with a profile like the one in your pictures. Other hawks are broader

in the shoulders and the body tapers towards the tail. The Coopers

looks narrow at the top ,and kinda lumpy in the middle,sort of like

most prospectors.

[DOC]

Thank you very much, I really appreciate it. It is still in the area, we see it flying around in the sky looking for prey.

Doc

DOC

Looks like pike335 knows his chicken hawks.

According to the Forest Service bird lady,it is a female,pre adult

Coopers Hawk. You just happen to live in one of their migration routes.

The pre adults migrate a week or two ahead of the adults.

The Coopers Hawk is a close relative of the Goshawk.

Here is how to tell the difference between them. The young Goshawk

has black bars that runs from the breast all the way on the under side

to the base of the tail. The tail of the Goshawk is shorter and blocky .

The Goshawk has white stripes over the eyes like eyebrows.

On a Coopers Hawk the bars are brown and only extend to the leg

area. It has a longer and more rounded tail. The Coopers Hawk is

the classic chicken hawk . Also the Coopers Hawk is the only hawk

with a profile like the one in your pictures. Other hawks are broader

in the shoulders and the body tapers towards the tail. The Coopers

looks narrow at the top ,and kinda lumpy in the middle,sort of like

most prospectors.

[pike335]

sawmill, thanks for the update!

doc, he does look a bit hungry, dove offering? anyways your fortunate to have him around, they are usually a bit more reclusive.

enjoy.

dave makkos

[acronn]

Doc,

What ya got there is a Coopers Hawk. It is an accipiter, same as a Goshawk, but from the size it is of a Female Coopers Hawk. Also a passage bird, first year, never has moulted yet. They change color this next year when they moult.

15 years as a falconer. Coopers Hawks are terrific hunters, more abundant than Goshawks. The smaller species, the Sharp-shinned hawk is also a good hunter. All are opportunistic hunters, and a cage with a bird in it sure looks like an easy meal if only this pesky wire wasn't there..