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#Post#: 11293--------------------------------------------------
BOP
DIR By: Jon
Date: July 7, 2012, 11:55 am
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I have noticed a couple of small Hawks about the size of my
birds but with a longer tail. They for the most part fly lower
than my birds when I can see them both. Yesterday i turned my
birds loose and the hawk flew right in front of them. My birds
(thinking he was one of them) flew up to him. Thought i was
going to loose at least one but the all came back. Do you know
what kind of hawk this may be?
#Post#: 11295--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: chesley l warren
Date: July 7, 2012, 8:11 pm
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Hey Jon, I dont't think I could make the call on that . Mostly
someone would have to view the bird. Just yesterday morn I
thought I saw something like your saying and I had to look good
, but turned out to be a dove, but i still wasn't sure untill
he pulled away from the kit. Gave me a scare, although the birds
flying were not really ones to treasure!! We have Blue Darters
here and Kites nesting near, but they have never tried to catch
a pigeon yet. I don't know what they feed on. I think a pigeon
knows a bop, and they will take evasave action quickly. BOP
can bust my bubble and theres no good feeling about that!!!!
Have a good day! Chesley
#Post#: 11296--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: markmidmo
Date: July 7, 2012, 9:27 pm
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The small size makes me think it is an American Kestrel (sparrow
hawk). They usually go after smaller birds hence the name
sparrow hawk, but will on occasion try to take a young pigeon.
#Post#: 11297--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: slvrollers
Date: July 7, 2012, 10:18 pm
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Hi Jon I live in an area that has Falcons. Every time I see a
smaller Bop its a falcon. It will head right into the kit thats
flying and try and separate the birds. Then it will follow them
up and try and get some of the birds down below it. It will
dive after the ones down lower at a very high rate of speed.
Good luck with the Bop
#Post#: 11298--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: Jon
Date: July 7, 2012, 10:41 pm
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I'm sure this is some kind of BOP. It soars like a hawk. When it
is below my birds they don't seem bothered but when it climbs
the birds are gone. In years past when the birds disappeared
because of a BOP they wouldn't come back for hours. This time
they are usually back in about 1/2 hr' I don't know if that is
because 90% of my flyers are young and possibly stupid. I've
seen sparrow hawks but they are usually sitting and I don't
remember their tail being long (this BOP's tail is at least 3/4
as long as his body).
5
#Post#: 11299--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: slvrollers
Date: July 8, 2012, 3:18 pm
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Hi Jon
Tony has posted raptor silhouettes on this page below. Might
help you identify what kind of sky shark is after your pigeons.
HTML http://www.rollerpigeon.com/minimizing-eliminating-bop-attacks/raptor-silhouettes/
HTML http://www.rollerpigeon.com/minimizing-eliminating-bop-attacks/raptor-silhouettes/<br
/>
#Post#: 11300--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: Jon
Date: July 8, 2012, 7:25 pm
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That's neat. What I see doesn't look like any of those. The tail
is closer to a falcon (straight and narrow) it did not fan out
as I remember. I'm sure if it was a falcon one of my birds would
have been lunch or dinner. My understanding is that falcons
attack from above and these were fairly low flying birds.
Looking at the pictures a second time I'm wondering if it could
have been a young cooper hawk. We have them here but it's
usually the older bigger ones who get my birds.
#Post#: 11301--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: oldfart
Date: July 8, 2012, 8:15 pm
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Hey Jon, It could be a juvenile male Cooper. The male is smaller
even in an adult and I have lost tooooo many birds to Cooper
Hawks but never to a male Cooper.
Take care my friend
Thom
#Post#: 11302--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: Cliff Ball
Date: July 9, 2012, 12:11 pm
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Or it could be a Sharpshinned hawk. They look and fly like a
miniature Coopers. Like they Coopers, they tend to exhibit
several rapid wingbeats, then soar a ways, then repeat the rapid
wingbeats and soar again. The Sharpies do the same, but their
wingbeats are more frequent and more rapid. Don't let their
small size fool you. They CAN take a pigeon. I doubt it's a
Kestral (or Sparrowhawk.) They don't do too much soaring. They
will hoover, but otherwise they are usually on the move in
flight or else perched.
Cliff
#Post#: 11307--------------------------------------------------
Re: BOP
DIR By: Ron B
Date: July 9, 2012, 8:31 pm
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Sounds like a cooper or a sharpie to me. I am way too familiar
with both.
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