[amelia1730]

I have posted this elsewhere but no takers, so thought I'd try here.........

Yesterday, a male sparrowhawk (a real beauty I might add - glorious chest colour) visited Mum's garden for the first time. It made an amateurish lunge at a bird on the bird table, then having missed sat there on the roof of the birdtable for about 10 mins looking around. It then jumped down onto the grass and proceeded to hop/waddle around (in a rather parrot-like way) peering into garden plants etc Finally it jumped into vegetation around a small fishpond and snatched a frog from the margins. Having held it down on the grass for a couple of minutes it finally flew off.

I am used to seeing Sparrowhawks in my garden, male and female, but have never seen them on the ground unless holding prey down before taking them to a suitable dining table! As for hopping around foraging......well I thought that was strange behaviour. Someone will tell me otherwise I'm sure!
I did wonder if it was a youngish bird who hasn't quite got the hang of things yet........... Does anyone else think this is odd?

[amelia1730]

Any ideas or comments on this one please?

[joannec]

Originally Posted by amelia1730

but have never seen them on the ground unless holding prey down before taking them to a suitable dining table!

Does anyone else think this is odd?

Wouldn't say this was unusual....I have seen sparrowhawks catch birds on the ground (but never seen one catch a frog.)

Joanne

[rozinante]

I have read of quite a few seemingly odd feeding behaviors of raptors. Enough to suggest that it is not extremely unusual anyway. As usual my memory lets me down with the detail. Not been fortunate enough to see it for myself either.

Don't quote me but I think I recall once reading of peregrines fishing!

It would be interesting to see any numbers relating to frog predation by raptors if anyone has anything to hand. Mind you, there would be far more possibilities than frogs. I suspect that many of these masters of the sky are not above taking the occasional earthworm in hard times.

One reason why this could be less often observed might be that unlike in the heat of a more familiar aerial chase, the birds feel more vulnerable and passive when feeding in this way and are more cautious as to when and where they risk it.

[amelia1730]

It wasn't so much the taking of a frog (opportunistic) but more the fact that it was actively foraging around the garden on two legs, resembling a parrot, that I found odd! It was in a completely walled in garden without much cover - only one small lilac tree. I guess the more I learn about birds the more I realise anything can happen!

[PennineBirder]

Birds of Prey and Owls are opportunistic feeders and will take virtually anything they can get on occasions. There are several published reports of Merlins, a normally airbourne hunter like the Sparrowhawk, wandering around the ground looking for food (presumably ground nesting chicks).

I came across a Long-eared Owl nest some time ago where the adults had been feeding massively on frogs (they seemed to have discarded parts of the frogs uneaten) and frog remains were all around the nest site. This was unusual because LEO are also normally bird/mammal feeders and also because the location (an upland site in the Peak District) was some distance fom the nearest frog-pool.
As you say birding often raises more questions than answers.

Cheers

Peter B
Yorkshire

[amelia1730]

Originally Posted by PennineBirder

There are several published reports of Merlins, a normally airbourne hunter like the Sparrowhawk, wandering around the ground looking for food (presumably ground nesting chicks).

I came across a Long-eared Owl nest some time ago where the adults had been feeding massively on frogs (they seemed to have discarded parts of the frogs uneaten) and frog remains were all around the nest site. This was unusual because LEO are also normally bird/mammal feeders and also because the location (an upland site in the Peak District) was some distance fom the nearest frog-pool.

Thanks Peter. It's all fascinating stuff...........