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Help identify this bird please! (1 Viewer)

NewBird1

Member
Hi everyone, this is my first post and I'm hoping that some of you on this forum will be able to identify this bird I saw in my garden this morning. I was getting ready for school and when I looked out of my bedroom window the was a bird of prey sat on top of a pidgin. I wanted to take some better photos but my mum let the dog out to scare it off before I could get nearer to it. It's not much bigger than the pidgin but it started to fly off with it in its claws. Anyway if you know what it was please let me know. Also if anyone knows how I can encourage it back into my garden so I can keep seeing it, that would be really good. What does it eat besides pidgin and it it okay to put food out for it? Thanks for you help.
 

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A female Sparrowhawk (that this probably is, will take birds up to the size of a Wood Pigeon).

You can't (and shouldn't) encourage it to return... they have a large hunting territory and it's unnatural to spend too much time in one small area. Just feed the birds generally - if you have a healthy population of birds, Sparrowhawks will visit at times. Oh, and it's Nature, but it's not pleasant watching something being eaten alive, so be prepared if you're fortunate enough to see it again.
 
Okay thanks. I don't really have any wish to see a pidgin get hurt but I understand birds of prey have to kill and eat prey animals. My mum purposely let the dog out to save the pidgin though. Like I said above the sparrow hawk tried to fly off with pidgin in its claws but my dog got to close so it dropped it and flew away. I told my mum that she shouldn't have done that because if the dog got the hawk it might of hurt it. I hope it comes back it was beautiful. Anyway thanks guys!
 
Sorry one more thing. Did it grab the pidgin and then land in the garden, or is it more likely that the pidgin was foraging for food in the grass and the hawk swopped down on it? How do they kill a bird that's almost the same size as it is and do the eat them on the ground where the kill them or do they take them off to a tree?
 
I can't say how the Pigeon was caught, as Sparrowhawks will take birds from perches - from the ground - in flight, and even chase them on the ground if necessary. As you've witnessed, if the prey is a similar size or larger than the Sparrowhawk, the prey is eaten on the ground; although they do prefer a bit of cover, as other predators/opportunists can try to take their meal. They will sometimes eat part of their meal on the ground and eat the rest in a tree or a favourite perch. Smaller birds are more often eaten in trees, but not always, I've many pics of small birds being eaten on the ground.

Unfortunately for the prey, Sparrowhawks don't have a "kill shot" like a Falcon (actually, some sort-of do, but it's something they learn as they get older, and it's a bit gory to describe I guess); so they just stab and prod/squeeze with their talons until the prey is still enough to start plucking and eating (both together, not pluck the prey and then eat). This means that larger prey that isn't killed by the initial strike, only dies when a vital organ is damaged or they bleed to death... this can take many minutes. Just a note; the Sparrowhawk has no choice but eat this way, it's how it's evolved and has no other way to survive.

EDIT: One other thing; a Sparrowhawk will have taken hours to get to a place to hide... birds' alarms sounding each time it was spotted. It will have watched and chosen the easiest meal... often a bird that is sick or careless. If it's scared from it's meal (by a dog or a keen photographer trying to get too close) it will either have to try again or die from starvation. The original prey will most likely be mortally injured, so rather than save one bird at least two will die. So please be careful if you're fortunate enough to get photo opportunities, and try not to spook the Sparrowhawk... some will let you get quite close while they are eating, others will spook at the twitch of a curtain
 
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What are the chances that the sparrow hawk my dog scared off will die of starvation. I could leave food out for it, just the one time. Would they eat ham or chicken (roasted not alive. I'm going to get bird seed so other bids come then maybe it will come back if there's alot of prey animals?
 
What are the chances that the sparrow hawk my dog scared off will die of starvation. I could leave food out for it, just the one time. Would they eat ham or chicken (roasted not alive. I'm going to get bird seed so other bids come then maybe it will come back if there's alot of prey animals?

It'll be OK. No, they don't come for food put out, they like to catch their own.
 
I agree that the Sparrowhawk won't starve, well, probably won't starve. However, if everyone that saw a Sparrowhawk in the garden scared it away (and even some in this forum admit to doing just that), the risk of starvation is real, especially during the Winter. So my post was general rather than specifically about your bird.

Incidentally, a female can go a few days more than a male without food, due to average to prey size - a Pigeon would be more sustaining than a Sparrow. If you are interested in Sparrowhawks here's some detailed information about them.
 
Okay thanks guys. I'll definitely check out that information you linked me to. If it does come back and I can take more photos without disturbing it, I'll come bachelor and post them here. Thanks again, but!
 
Okay thanks guys. I'll definitely check out that information you linked me to. If it does come back and I can take more photos without disturbing it, I'll come bachelor and post them here. Thanks again, but!

I'll look forward to seeing any pictures that you get... be patient and watchful, and with luck you'll see another Sparrowhawk in your garden. ;)
 
Hi Newbird1

Only just came across your post. As far as I'm concerned, Chris is THE man to consult on sparrowhawks. If you go to his posts (you'll find member galleries down the page underneath the "Gallery" page), you'll find some stunning Sparrowhawk pix.

The only thing I would add is that by putting out bird food (different seeds will attract different kinds of birds, but watch out - it can be expensive...), you will attract smaller birds to your garden. The more regularly you fill your feeders, the more these birds will know to come there. As you get to know the different types of birds that come in, you will also get to know those that are unusual. Some of the smallest birds are the most captivating, and there is a joy in watching those too. It's a hard truth, but by doing so, you will provide what the sparrowhawk is looking for - a meal. I have loads of wonderful birds in my garden, and also a fairly regular sparrowhawk too. It's not always easy to watch when he strikes, but the sparrowhawk misses more often than not. I find great enjoyment in all the birds I watch, but I do understand the added excitement of the predator..the thing is (for me anyway) not to get in the way of nature - observe but don't interfere. Enjoy watching the wild!

I hope you enjoy your birding, and that your sparrowhawk returns - photos!

Best

Ian
 
This page may be of interest. It shows a desperate struggle between a Sparrowhawk and a Magpie - typically towards the end of winter when numbers of smaller birds are at their lowest and many migrants have yet to arrive in any kind of numbers.
 
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