Unusual Bird Call

[Castrol for a knave]

While pottering in the garden I heard an unusual bird call.

The bird was circling above, about the size of a kestrel or magpie. Had an unusual flight pattern - would fly, then tuck its wings in for a couple of seconds before starting again. I know pigeons do this, but it was a much more athletic shape and definitely not a pigeon.

The cry was an "ee oh" or "keey yoh". almost like a child - not a shrill call like one of the our many buzzards. Really loud and clear. .


I've been through the calls of various raptors, corvids etc but nothing that sounded like his little chap, or had such an unusual, "bouncy" flight pattern.

Any ideas?

[boxy but good]

Tern ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGWiat9ZBfc

[wijit]

Possibly a Hobby?

[Equus]

The flight pattern, shape and size sounds a lot like a green woodpecker... but not the description of call.

Flight: LINK

Where did you see it (where in UK, and habitat)? Colour? Was it genuinely circling?

[Castrol for a knave]

The woodpecker is very similar.

We are next to some woods, and very rural. We get plenty of common woodpeckers, so having green woodpeckers would stand to reason.

The call was a different, but the flight pattern very much the same.

Thanks all.

[Pastor Of Muppets]

Obviously depends on location and time of year but if near a moorland area in springtime that description
could apply to the Golden Plover doing a breeding display flight.

[Turn7]

I’m going to say Green Woodpecker.

They have a very distinct call and fly in a rhythmic flap and glide method.

[Fastchas]

I agree with woodpecker. They (spotted & green) have an 'undulating' method of flight, whereas they beat their wings then tuck them in to save energy then flap them again. This causes the bird to dip and soar repeatedly.
Green woodpeckers are easily as big as magpies. I'm unsure of their birdsong /calling though.

[Jamp]

Sounds like a lapwing to me - bonkers flight paths and cries like an experimental aphex twin album played backwards - but lovely things.

[Fastchas]

Jamp said:

Sounds like a lapwing to me - bonkers flight paths and cries like an experimental aphex twin album played backwards - but lovely things.

The cry, maybe but definitely not the undulating flight. They flap consistently. They are also named the 'peewee' or 'peewit' down to their call.
Wonderful birds though, they look like a raptor when flying.

[Castrol for a knave]

Didn't seem like a lapwing - used to their call.

It was the call - I thought a child was calling me it was that loud and clear. Then I realised 1) I don't have children and 2) I'm at the bottom of my garden in the arse end of nowhere.


I will go with Green Woodpecker, and call him Bernard.

Thanks all.

[BoggoStump]

jackdaw?