steve_b_wales Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 I took a few photo's of this bird while on holiday on Egypt a few weeks ago. What bird is it though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry P Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Some kind of Kestrel I would have thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spannermonkeymark Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Kestrel or merlin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurchers Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Its a kestrel mate,looks like a juvinile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 It was pretty big when sitting on a palm tree in the hotel grounds. And if you look at the bird in this link (that was put up recently) it makes you think. http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/topic/290475-peregrine-falcons-swoop-on-coventry-university/ I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Here's a close up of the bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 There are 3 birds it could be, i think. 1. Kestrel about 12 " top to toe, 2. Black Kite (which are brown and marked as this bird - cant see the fork whilst perched? 3. As said above it could be a peregrine - Egyptian ones are brown make is 14", female quite a bit bigger. If asked I would say kestrel but there's nothing of known size in the photo to give it proportion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 One of the hotel managers stated that it was a Peregrine. I did'nt argue, as I was'nt sure what it was. I'll check out the photo's to see if I can zoom in on the branch it was perched on. Also, this bird, and another one, were perched high on a telecommunication tower for long periods of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 This photo is of the bird on another palm tree, which was approx 15 yards from my hotel balcony. I would guess that the total length of the bird from tip of tail to beak is 12-14" approx. I could'nt get a photo of it's talons, as it was always facing away from me. And when I 'called' it, only it's head turned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted August 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 This is a photo of the bird while perched on the tower. The tower was approx 250 yards away, and I have zoomed in on the photo, via my computer. You can see it's talons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Its a female Egyptian kestrel. Did you not see the hieroglyphics of them? Sacred to ancient Egyptians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 I would go with peregrine from the length of its talons and very yellow feet - I stand to be corrected - lovely photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Female Kestrel would be my guess too, although the colours may vary on the foriegn birds the tail feathers are a give away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartward Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Young kestrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Its a female Egyptian kestrel. Did you not see the hieroglyphics of them? Sacred to ancient Egyptians Exactly that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Exactly that. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggysreels Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 Female Kestrel ... though on one of the photos, the leg colour looks "similar" to Lesser Kestrel .. though l'd go for a female Common Kestrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 I'm outvoted and, on reflection, agree with Kestrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rim Fire Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) Kestrel as I was a member of the Welsh hawking club for more than 20 years and bred all manner of Hawks and Falcons its the wrong colour for peregrine a and is a very small bird only the Merlin is smaller the Females are bigger than the Males in the Hawk world Edited August 11, 2014 by Rim Fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 100% kestrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurchers Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 I'm outvoted and, on reflection, agree with Kestrel. I would like to know how you get peragrine.you cant miss its a kestrel,just in different countries the colours vary but still tell what they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 I would like to know how you get peragrine.you cant miss its a kestrel,just in different countries the colours vary but still tell what they are. [/quote Its quite easy - there are some brown heavily barred peregrines in Egypt and the size and leg colour didnt look quite the size of a Kestrel which is quite a small bird. By the way thats peregrine and not everyone is so sure of foreign bird identification as you obviously are. How big would you say the photo makes the bird, given the comments by the photographer. I'd post a pic for you to argue over but you perhaps would not be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrshiretaxidermy Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 Theres not a Peregrine in the world that looks like that Kestrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 Theres not a Peregrine in the world that looks like that Kestrel.Then I suggest you Google 'Egyptian peregrine' and browse the result. Theres a very similar one there and the 'teardrops' are very muted. But you stick to your guns and dont bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayrshiretaxidermy Posted August 11, 2014 Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 There is no such bird as an Egyptian Peregrine. I have browsed google images and cant see any results that resemble a Kestrel. With a username such as yours, I woulda thought you woulda known your falcons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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