Forum home› Wildlife gardening
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Was this a cat?

AstraeusAstraeus Posts: 336
edited January 2022 in Wildlife gardening
Woke up to this scene this morning. Nothing but feathers. Is that a cat? When I've seen birds attacked by cats before, they've taken away the whole thing before dealing with it elsewhere. I've only seen birds take birds apart in situ like this.

Posts

  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    It might be a Sparrow Hawk.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Another vote here for Sparrowhawk ... they often just take the fleshy breast meat.

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • AstraeusAstraeus Posts: 336
    Thank you both. I did wonder.

    No sign of flesh anywhere, only feathers left. Which at least made the job of cleaning up slightly less unpleasant...
  • Jenny_AsterJenny_Aster Posts: 945
    Another vote for a hawk; whilst doing washing-up duties, a hawk must have grabbed a pigeon in mid-flight above my kitchen window. There were feathers reigning down all over the place, which made me wonder if birds have a mechanism to release their feathers when traumatised?


    Trying to be the person my dog thinks I am! 

    Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    edited January 2022
    I'd say woodpigeon . Now an EX woodpigeon
    Devon.
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    edited January 2022
    I had a sparrow hawk come to the garden once and he caught a blackbird and proceeded to stand on it and rip all its feathers out before flying off with the body. It was both exciting and devastating at the same time 😧
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Crazybeelady said:
    I had a sparrow hawk come to the garden once and he caught a blackbird and proceeded to stand on it and rip all its feathers out before flying off with the body. It was both exciting and devastating at the same time 😧
    indeed so, but at least it was eaten. Cats just kill for the fun of it.
    Devon.
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    It happens all the time in our garden , I used to blame next doors cats till I saw it happen for myself .And now we have so many red kites here in Buckinghamshire it happens more and more they just wheel around catching birds randomly and there are feathers everywhere.
Sign In or Register to comment.