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Sparrowhawk tactics (2 Viewers)

gowerboy said:
the mother often works with last years female to attack larger prey, they often take jackdaw, magpie and even the odd carrion crow
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Heard of female s'hawks taking jackdaw and magpie (and commonly woodpigeon) but have never heard of them taking carrion crows or hunting co-operatively- very interesting! Any more details? Just looked at photos there too- excellent.

Great original observations from ChrisKten, the sort of birding I like best.
 
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s. james said:
have never heard of them taking carrion crows
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Our bird group, many years ago, had a presentation one night which included an action sequence of a female Sprawk taking an adult Crow (Hooded, actually, was in N Scotland) .

The photographer was startled to witness the event but reported that the crow seemed healthy, etc. I was particularly surprised because the Sprawk lacks a kill-shot and would therefore be likely to have great difficulty in subduing the crow, but it happens.......
 
lockbreeze926 said:
Our bird group, many years ago, had a presentation one night which included an action sequence of a female Sprawk taking an adult Crow (Hooded, actually, was in N Scotland) .

The photographer was startled to witness the event but reported that the crow seemed healthy, etc. I was particularly surprised because the Sprawk lacks a kill-shot and would therefore be likely to have great difficulty in subduing the crow, but it happens.......
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I would imagine that would be one heck of a fight. Crows visit my garden daily for nuts in shells. They use their beak like a chisel to effortlessly take the nut from the shell. In fact they remove two nuts in less time than the Squirrels take to remove one. They also have enormous wings. I wouldn't fancy being stabbed or wing slapped by a Crow.
 
lockbreeze926 said:
Our bird group, many years ago, had a presentation one night which included an action sequence of a female Sprawk taking an adult Crow (Hooded, actually, was in N Scotland).
Click to expand...

Very interesting. Have yet to see a sparrowhawk taking any prey to tell you the truth!

From BWP...

Larger bird species included many C. palumbus, Stock Dove C. oenas, Jay Garrulus glandarius, and Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, and also included Partridge Perdix perdix, ♀ Pheasant Phasianus colchicus, Red and Willow Grouse Lagopus lagopus, ♀ Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix , Kestrel Falco tinnunculus, and other A. nisus of both sexes (Tinbergen 1946; Uttendörfer 1952; I Newton and M Marquiss).

Female pheasant (750-1200g) and black grouse (750-1100g) are considerably heavier than a hooded/carrion crow (370-650g). Kestrels and other sparrowhawks would presumably be able to defend themselves as well as a crow too.

ChrisKten said:
I would imagine that would be one heck of a fight.
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Me too, I would've thought a crow could defend itself alright but sparrowhawks must be pretty tough too!
 
My guess is that many or most birds of prey--Kestrels, other birds of their own species--taken by Sparrowhawks are young inexperienced individuals. I actually witnessed a Cooper's Hawk snatch a young American Kestrel out of the air a few years ago. The victim was part of a group of 3-4 fledglings, strong on the wing but still being looked after by their parents. While I was watching the group (which was ineffectually harassing a Killdeer brood on the lawn of a big public park), I idly followed one of the fledglings through binoculars as it flew towards an isolated cottonwood about 50 yards away. When still about 10 ft. from its destination, the fledgling was attacked by a Cooper's Hawk coming out of the tree directly at it from the dense foliage where it had been concealed. The 2 birds met head-on, the hawk binding to the kestrel in midair, turning back along its course, and flapping heavily off with it in one continuous movement. I chased after the hawk & found it again a few minutes later on the lawn about 100 yds away, still with its prey. Cooper's Hawks, I believe, average a little larger than Sparrowhawks (but not by much) & the American Kestrel is a touch smaller than the European bird, but the mid-air collision between the 2 birds was still something to see & left a real impression.
 
For s.james, "my" sprawks have hunted together for a few years. mum seems to teach the newest female for a whole year, and any previous female then leaves.
The males are left to learn by thier mistakes.
This morning I witnessed a new tactic by last years male, he sat on the ground behind some small bushes after I had filled the feeders.
Along comes a robin, grabs some suet pellets and on to the floor next to the sprawk, didnt even see what was coming|:(|
We live and learn and so do sprawks.
 
Fugl, the UK female kestrel is only slightly smaller than the female sprawk, and if there is food about the kestrel will not leave without a fight, unless crows drive her off.
There are some pics of a female kestrel that has just taken up a sprawks favourite branch on my web site.

www.flickr.com/photos/mosesdavies

Clive
 
I thought I'd post an update on what's been happening with the Sparrowhawks, nothing, nothing has been happening.

I've seen no sign of Sparrowhawks since I last posted in this thread (about 3 weeks). There's been no piles of feathers, no Starlings flying off screaming, no Sparrows' alarm calls (their alarm is quite distinctive when a Hawk has attacked), nothing. When the birds have been spooked they've returned almost instantly, which they don't do if a Hawk is about.

I know it sounds odd to most, but this is the longest period I've had over the last few years without evidence of Sparrowhawks.

I hope they are OK.
 
Ken, One reason maybe that the warmer weather means less food intake, or the food is more widespread especially now with migrants coming in.
 
Bananafishbones said:
Ken, One reason maybe that the warmer weather means less food intake, or the food is more widespread especially now with migrants coming in.
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Yeah, I hope that's the reason. Although I've noticed a few sick Pigeons in the street displaying symptoms of PMV. I don't know how resistant Sparrowhawks are to PMV if they were to eat an infected Pigeon.

BTW, who's Ken.;)
 
[QUOTE=ChrisKten;1452419]I thought I'd post an update on what's been happening with the Sparrowhawks, nothing, nothing has been happening.

I've seen no sign of Sparrowhawks since I last posted in this thread (about 3 weeks).
[/QUOTE]

Possibly they've moved to a breeding site for a while, busy nest building, displaying etc.??
 
s. james said:
Possibly they've moved to a breeding site for a while, busy nest building, displaying etc.??
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Yes, could be that too. I'm pretty sure they will return as nothing has changed about my garden, same amount of prey and cover.
 
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I mentioned a few posts back that I wasn't sure how resistant Sparrowhawks are to PMV. As I said, I've noticed a few Pigeons in the street (not in my garden, yet) that are displaying typical PMV symptoms.

I've looked around on line and can't really find any reference to PMV and Raptors. I would imagine they would have some resistance to disease as eating sick birds is pretty common.

So is anyone aware whether a Sparrowhawk eating a PMV infected Pigeon would be at risk of the disease?
 
Hi ChrisKten, I think you will find your sprawks are on the nest. Just wait till the start of may and they will be back more than ever, hopefully feeding a few chicks.
I only have males calling in at the moment, the females stopped showing 2 weeks ago.

Clive
 
gowerboy said:
Hi ChrisKten, I think you will find your sprawks are on the nest. Just wait till the start of may and they will be back more than ever, hopefully feeding a few chicks.
I only have males calling in at the moment, the females stopped showing 2 weeks ago.

Clive
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Hi Clive, yeah from what I'm hearing, I'm hopeful they'll be back.

It's odd that I don't seem to have noticed this quiet period in previous years though. I guess it's possible other things were happening at the same time, so I somehow didn't realise.
 
I see a male quite regualrly in my garden.

It will usually fly into the thick bush right in the garden and stake out the birds. After a while the birds relax, pop out into the open and wham! His success rate seems very high.
 
boddie said:
I see a male quite regualrly in my garden.

It will usually fly into the thick bush right in the garden and stake out the birds. After a while the birds relax, pop out into the open and wham! His success rate seems very high.
Click to expand...

That's interesting, as it's similar behaviour to the female in my garden, but different to the male.

Have you noticed what he's taking? Sparrows, Starlings, Tits?
 
starling last time I saw. I know what you're thinking, but it's definately a male!

I consistenly have a pair of collared doves in there too, if there was a female about that might change.
 
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