Angry Birds in real life

[Zombie]

So yesterday, my wife was leaving to pick the kids up from school when she noticed something she doesn't see every day. On our front lawn, under an oak tree was a big pile of feathers, and a rather grumpy looking bird standing in the middle, kind of glaring at her. She found this to be a bit strange, so she rolled down the window, and took a picture. Shortly, the grumpy standing bird grabbed a bloody mass from the pile of feathers, and flew onto our roof with it, where it continued pulling feathers out.

The kill was a mourning dove, and I'm really hopefull it was the one with the messed up voice that has been living in the tree in my backyard for a couple of years... it's like a mourning dove that smokes three packs a day, and somehow ended up louder for it... Anyway, I checked the feathers, certainly dove, as was the one redish skinned foot that the little raptor left behind.

The thing I'd like to know is what kind of bird it was that murdered another bird in front yard, because it was awesome, and as the pic shows, not much larger than the dove it took out.

Any guesses?

 

[BCGPER]

I had that same thing in my front yard last spring. In my case, the Hawk was dining on pigeon.

Had I known the mess it would leave me, I would have chased the lil buggar off.

 

[Kevin B.]

I think it's too small for a hawk. Gotta be a falcon.

 

[Zombie]

I think it's too small for a hawk. Gotta be a falcon.

Hm....

Looks like it might be a Merlin Falcon.

 

[Brian P]

We have a falcon in our neighborhood as well, cool birds to watch.

 

[OB1]

Had the same thing happen to me. We had a Coopers Hawk kill a finch from our bird feeder in the front yard. Watched it all take place from the front window. Was a cool thing to see. We would see the hawk hanging around once and awhile afterwards.

 

[Cherokeester]

It is a Merlin, they are awesome birds. Once back in the day I had a master class falconers license and flew many a falcon. Merlins are somewhat a rare sight indeed.

 

[Spork]

So are the Merlin's the birds that you see hover before they drop on something?

 

[Cherokeester]

Merlins do not hover, you are seeing kestrels more than likely. Merlins are like f16's, fast and effective.

 

[muleskinner]

Probably not a Mourning Dove if its making that type of noise. I'd bet its a Eurasian Collared-Dove.

http://www.utahbirds.org/birdsofutah/ProfilesD-K/EurasianCollaredDove.htm

 

[1badweb]

could be a richardson merlin, or a male coopers hawk, the answer to it is were the wings board or skinny

 

[Cherokeester]

Not a coopers hawk not even close.

 

[gertsch]

This is why I loved living at home. We would have hawks, falcons, owls, and eagles all the time in the yeas or field.

 

[MikeGyver]

I was expecting to see this

 

[1badweb]

this is a merln found in utah

this is a large female passage coopers , caught in utah, passage males are smaller but same colors

for sure i can tell you its not my gyr falcon

 

[Cherokeester]

<<<Coopers hawk juvenile<<< Nice gyr! The eyes in the op's first photo are clearly black indicating falcon. Passage coops or sharpie would be light yellow. Also he said the raptor was about the same size as the dove it killed got to be a merlin.

 

[Houndoc]

Cool pictures. I will have to try to remember to show my 13 year old, who is into all things raptor.