Sparrowhawk: grisly food chain and the cycle of life
The last time I wrote about a Sparrowhawk visiting our garden was back in June 2021.
On that occasion the Hawk that had landed was using our garden fence as a convenient place to eat the lunch they had caught and killed.
But a hawk in the garden is not a common sight for us, so it was quite a surprise to see a female hawk in the middle of our lawn tucking into what had been a regular size pigeon!
Not at all a pretty sight
Although quite small, it’s fair to say the Sparrowhawk is quite a striking looking bird. The female is always bigger than the male (sometimes as much as 25% bigger) and in turn the female is typically more likely to catch and more adept at capturing larger prey.
The scene on our lawn was grisly and gory and although captivating in the way that nature so often is, it really wasn’t at all a pretty sight as the female hawk tucked into what was probably quite a feast.
Check out the two short video clips below to see the Hawk tucking in!
Hawk video clip 1
Hawk video clip 2
The Sparrowhawk
The following information is a straight cut and paste from the excellent RSPB website and if you are not a member perhaps it’s something you might want to consider – check out membership information at this link.
It’s also a re-post of the same information that I posted back in 2021, more information can also be found over on the Woodland Trust web site at this link.
Key information
Sparrowhawks are small birds of prey. They’re adapted for hunting birds in confined spaces like dense woodland, so gardens are ideal hunting grounds for them. Adult male sparrowhawks have bluish-grey back and wings and orangey-brown bars on their chest and belly. Females and young birds have brown back and wings, and brown bars underneath. Sparrowhawks have bright yellow or orangey eyes, long, yellow legs and long talons. Females are larger than males, as with all birds of prey.
What they eat:
Mainly small birds, but 120 different species have been recorded. Males can catch birds up to thrush size, but females, being bigger, can catch birds up to pigeon size. Some sparrowhawks catch bats.
Measurements:
- Length:
- 28-38cm
- Wingspan:
- 55-70cm
- Weight:
- 110-196g (male); 185-342g (female)
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- UK breeding:
- 35,000 pairs
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Picture gallery
- Clicking on any of the images below will open a picture gallery that can be clicked or scrolled through.
Very gory, but compulsive viewing.
Yes – there’s almost someething compelling that makes you look isnt there