Hello!
We've had this guy visiting our chicken coop, keeping down the rat population. We think it's a Spotted Harrier. We live in Dulwich HIll, Sydney, so it's quite a treat!
Poor old chooks don't like it much though.
Laela
Spotted Harrier spotted, Inner West Syd
Sat, 06/02/2016 - 13:08
#1
a
Spotted Harrier spotted, Inner West Syd
this is an accipiter hawk, juvenile, probably a brown goshawk due to heavy brow ridge.
its prey selection is slightly interesting; i more often see them feeding on avian prey.
the spotted harrier is a larger bird with a bigger wingspan which tends to inhabit more open territory; fields, grassy plains, paddocks, etc.
I agree with Zosterops.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
I've just spent some time babbling away in the Identifications forum on some similar sightings (albeit not in suburban backyard). I'd agree with immature brown goshawk from my little experience. Much heavier-looking brow than the birds I've been seeing recently.
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Mike
https://flic.kr/ps/aF4bq
Incidentally a Spotted Harrier is also an Accitpitrid hawk, as it's in the same family (Accipitridae - hawks, buzzards, eagles and kites) as the goshawks. The proper scientific name for a Brown Goshawk is Accipiter fasciatus.
The scientific names should always be italicized with common names capitalized. It can be quite confusing for less experienced people when folks talk inconsistently about species, genus etc.... and the info is quite simple grasp at the root level once one becomes familiar with the names etc.
accipiter is commonly used as a common name to indicate gos/sparrowhawk
i hate capitalisation