An unexpected christmas visitor

[crazy88]

A christmas morning visitor! Flew straight through the door and circled a few times before settling in the kitchen. Managed to get close enough to put a hood on it after about 20 minutes then let it free outside. It is back again this morning circling above the house.

Can anyone identify this beautiful bird?

Crazy 88

[Dannie Boy]

It's obviously some type of Kestrel but which one I have no idea, but interestingly, we had one very similar in our garden this morning. I got my binoculars out and our one looked a little greener than the one in your photos, but beautiful all the same.

[Bristolian]

I am certainly no ornithologist but it looks to be a Mountain Hawk Eagle. Even if I am wrong and, I probably am, it’s still a beautiful bird

[bsdk1960]

Its a beatyfull bird ihave to say...

[JD]

The wife says Nok Yeo. Beautiful Indeed. I once had a Barn Owl get caught up in the net curtains of my bedroom windows back in England. It's a wonderful experience to get close and then release these birds of prey.

[Frank Hovis]

Nok Yeo is the generic term for bird of prey, as Nok Hook is the generic term for Owls.
I think the most likely candidate is the Japanese Sparrowhawk (a female).
Wikipedia is a bit of let down on this but Google Images has a few pictures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Sparrowhawk

[Roel]

The dictionary gives for nok yieow (นกเหยี่ยว) falcon, hawk, kestrel.