A predator in our midst...

[chico2]

My camera could not get better close-upsbut this guy has been picking off at least 10 of"my"Pigeons this winter.
He is quiet large,larger than a Crow and he is beautiful,I just wish he did not kill my Pigeons,he does not bother with the smaller birds.
I have no idea what he is,but he's huge..

[Tundra_Queen]

chico I'm not sure what he is but he is pretty. Could it be a Peregrine Falcon?

[chico2]

Yes TQ,they are beautiful,but it saddens me,when I see another Pigeon getting caught,however that is the way of nature..and we all have to eat to survive.

[shirley1011]

Looks like might be a Coopers Hawk or a Peregrine Falcon as TQ said....they are just awful preditors but I guess that is nature.
Did you know we have Golden (larger Bald Headed Eagles) here in southern Ontario...saw one at the 407 & Hwy 10 the other day...couldn't believe it...even my brother who travels all over the world bird watching told me I was nuts...then I sent him the link to the Eagles in Ontario...I guess he will be out Eagle watching in Ontario now!
There is apparently a pair just outside Ottawa seen last week as well.

[BMDLuver]

They love pidgeons and this winter it seems that they are having a hard time finding rabbits so we see more of them with pidgeons here as well. I guess you hunt the largest food source... look at the bright side...... could be small dogs or cats instead.

[Goldfields]

Originally Posted by BMDLuver

They love pidgeons and this winter it seems that they are having a hard time finding rabbits so we see more of them with pidgeons here as well. I guess you hunt the largest food source... look at the bright side...... could be small dogs or cats instead.

Didn't see this post. We'd be on eagle watch here sometimes when we had sheltie pups outside for some exercise. The sables are just the same colour as wild rabbits and it was nerve wracking when a big wedge-tailed eagle would be gliding in circles above the place. A friend in Queensland watched one take a big rooster that was just ahead of her on a path, and saw another swooping after a wild Peacock, so a little pup like this would be just a snack. Gives me the shivers thinking about it.

[Goldfields]

What I do when I'm bird watching, Chico 2, is estimate its size compared to another bird, like you have with the crow, then look at my bird books. For instance, a Peregrine Falcon is about the same size or smaller than an Australian Raven(aka crow), but then how big is your crow? You can often cancel out a bird as a possibility that way. You are very lucky if it is a Peregrine, I'm told they nest over in the forest opposite us but I've never been lucky enough to see one.