Attack of a Sparrow Hawk (1 Viewer)

[stormeskye]

SPARROW HAWK vs PIGEON
Whilst peering out of my sister's living room window a few days ago, I witnessed an astonishing sight. A Sparrow Hawk had caught a small bird and was in the process of eating it on the ground, when a large pigeon landed next to it. The pigeon walker over to the Sparrow Hawk and started to attack it. The Sparrow Hawk (a young male I think) :h?::h?::h?:flipped onto its back and both started to attack each other. The Pigeon was pouncing on the Sparrow Hawk, which in turn was clawing at the aggressive Pigeon. Many feathers were lost by both parties. Is this common or have I seen something unusual? I have asked around, but no-one else has seen this kind of behaviour. Eventually the Sparrow Hawk managed to make its escape and flew away, but retrieved its meal later on. Sadly my camera was in my suitcase at the time.

 

[birdboybowley]

Certainly interesting! Never witnessed anything like that personally - real shame no camera for sure. Great stuff to see, thanks for posting. Kinda related, there was a post on here a while back about a Black Sprawk attacking a young Egyptian Goose in South Africa and the parents came over and actually killed the hawk
PS Read the start of your post way too quickly and misread 'peering' out of a window

 

[JoeRawles]

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=244055

I think between these two posts we may have evidence of a new race of Pigeons! Very, very unusual behaviour if you ask me - don't want to sound rude but you're sure it was a Pigeon, not a female Sparrowhawk perhaps trying to steal the kill? The 'flipped onto its back and both started to attack each other' is typical bop fighting, not pigeon like at all!

 

[Nightranger]

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=244055

I think between these two posts we may have evidence of a new race of Pigeons! Very, very unusual behaviour if you ask me - don't want to sound rude but you're sure it was a Pigeon, not a female Sparrowhawk perhaps trying to steal the kill? The 'flipped onto its back and both started to attack each other' is typical bop fighting, not pigeon like at all!

Joe, I though much the same thing but I think that we have to take some reports at face value. I certainly think a woodpigeon could potentially have the 'attitude' to take on a sparrowhawk (especially a male) but not a feral pigeon. The sustained attack does not sound right but on the other hand stormskye does not report that the kill was stolen, which was my consideration when I aborted my reply.

 

[Mary]

Just a thought on pigeon 'aggression'. I've watched them spar with collared doves in the garden, and they always do a form of 'kick-boxing'! They lean back and strike out really fast with one foot. The collared doves have learnt they can't compete with this, so always attack from above the pigeon-(from on top of a ground feeder cage,e.g.) and try to land on top of it. The dove often 'wins'!

 

[JoeRawles]

Really interesting to hear peoples input here - I'm seeing Woodpigeons in a new light now!

 

[ChrisKten]

I see many Sparrowhawk attacks at close range, and see the interaction between them and other species (Corvids - Pigeons - Squirrels) often. I've also 60+ Pigeons in my garden, so feel qualified to reply. I've been thinking about this thread, and at first it seems impossible, especially as even a small male Sparrowhawk can kill a Feral Pigeon (although it takes more effort than Sparrowhawks like to expend, so sick Pigeons are preferred to healthy ones).

One thing that might help to explain what happened is illustrated by the picture I've attached (very poor light, and just a record of the behaviour). The young Sparrowhawk was eating a Sparrow, and the Pigeon (a regular visitor; only has one leg) landed nearby. I've seen this before, when the Pigeons don't seem to recognise a Sparrowhawk as a Raptor, mainly when it's on the ground. However, as soon as the Sparrowhawk spreads it's wings to take off the Pigeons see it for what it is, and they panic.

Pigeons can be a bit territorial about regular feeding areas, and I often see them charging at Jays and Magpies in my garden. Both Jays and Magpies can kill a Pigeon, but they never try if the Pigeon is healthy. So a Pigeon charging a Sparrowhawk is possible, but a Pigeon actually attacking a Sparrowhawk seems extremely unlikely. Pigeons have just four weapons, and each are mostly quite harmless to other similar-sized birds (unless you count losing the odd feather). The bill is mostly used for grabbing feathers around the head and eyes. The wings are used (one at a time) to threaten and slap. And Pigeons will also charge into birds, like a Rhino might.

OTOH, a Sparrowhawk has two feet with razor-sharp talons, and a bill able to tear flesh from bone. I can't see how any Pigeon (even a Wood Pigeon) could sustain any sort of attack against such weapons. Of course, nothing is impossible in Nature (although I'm pretty sure Cows can't fly |=)|), but I really would be very surprised to see video of any event similar to that described by the OP; still... you never know

 

[Nightranger]

Great picture Chris! It looks as though the sparrowhawk is just getting ready to hurl the drain cover at the pigeon. 'Just a little more to the left!'