I was just out the back and saw a BOP land in a tree. Typically no camera, so no pic.
I havent got good fix on size, so that is out.
It had horizontal bars down it's belly and down the length of its tail. It kinda looks to me like the peregrine falcon kind of look, and my question would be do other birds have these distinctive 'stripes'.
I know that sparrowhawks, and goshawks have similar stripes but mine were much more darker and were very distinctive.
I was wondering if whether any of you guys could post front on pics of the falcon so I could have a look at the shape and look of them.
This would be my first sighting here of one of these birds so I am very excited.
According to a birddata site it does exist in this postcode of mine. Along with brown goshawk, collared sparrowhawk.
Thanks Ann
Horizontal bars on the belly seem to indicate Pacific Baza (Crested Hawk) to me. At least that's my very first impression. Here is a pic.
[url]http://amatteroflight.com/gallery2/d/1508-2/Pacific-Baza_1434.jpg[/link
http://amatteroflight.com/gallery2/d/1508-2/Pacific-Baza_1434.jpg
Thanks Windhover,but definately not a Baza. I am from SW west aust, and they dont occur here. Also the banding continues down the underside of the tail. I saw it front on from a distance of about 30m and had the stripes down its body continuing down its tail.
Unfortunately I didnt really see colour of beak or legs
In that case it's probably a Brown Goshawk or Collared Sparrowhawk. They are notoriously difficult to tell apart even with images presented, so from a "vague" description it's even harder.
Here is a Peregrine Falcon in flight. May help then.
http://amatteroflight.com/gallery2/d/447-4/Peregrine+Falcon_7440.jpg
And a Brown Goshawk
http://amatteroflight.com/gallery2/d/2874-2/Brown-Goshawk-5766.jpg
The pallid cuckoo looks very like a bop and has dark bars under its tail. It has a very distinctive call you can hear on biby birdfinder. A bit of a long shot but possible.