If sparrowhawks are so common, how come ive seen so little (1 Viewer)

[Lmc3598]

Sparrowhawks are very common. In Scotland in they are the second most common bird of prey after the buzzard, leaving in the kestrel in third. So, if sparrowhawks are increasing and kestrels declining, how come Ive only seen about 20 or 30 sparrowhawks in my two and a half years of birding, compared to over a hundred kestrels?

 

[Jonny721]

Kestrels tend to be much more conspicuous with their hovering making them immediately identifiable, and the fact that they seem to hunt next to roads whereas Sparrowhawks often hunt very rapidly meaning that you only get views for a few seconds or so.

 

[John Cantelo]

Kestrels hovering in one place, as they do, and inhabitng roadside margins means they're more 'obvious'. In contrast, a "Sparrawk" may dash past hard and low, slip between trees and, even in flap-glide-flap mode, may be in view for less time,

 

[Kentbloke]

Kestrels tend to be much more conspicuous with their hovering making them immediately identifiable, and the fact that they seem to hunt next to roads whereas Sparrowhawks often hunt very rapidly meaning that you only get views for a few seconds or so.

Well, if Kestrels are more conspicuous then who says Sprawks are are more numerous? Not being provocative but just wondering who said there are more Sprawks than Kes's - you know, being an old cynic and all that?

 

[colindouglas]

i live in ayrshire and i would say they are quite common here as i have seen quite a few recently in different areas, i used to see one in my back garden usually 3-4 times a week harrasing the smaller birds at my feeders but it was probably there more often than i saw it. i only saw it killing once when it swooped down onto a blackbird it was great to see i love sparrowhawks with there evil eyes

 

[King Edward]

Kestrels also tend to perch in conspicuous locations such as on posts and bare tree branches, whereas Sparrowhawks prefer to perch concealed in foliage where you are less likely to spot them unless you actually see them fly in or leave.

 

[Lmc3598]

Well, if Kestrels are more conspicuous then who says Sprawks are are more numerous? Not being provocative but just wondering who said there are more Sprawks than Kes's - you know, being an old cynic and all that?

Check the scottish raptor studies group website. Go to the sparrowhawk page and it will tell you.

 

[Jonny721]

Well, if Kestrels are more conspicuous then who says Sprawks are are more numerous? Not being provocative but just wondering who said there are more Sprawks than Kes's - you know, being an old cynic and all that?

I suspect it will be one of the big organisations such as the BTO that does the national nesting counts and census's etc that will have come up with the figures. Of course we don't know these numbers are entirely accurate as some nests will undoubtably be missed but it should be a pretty accurate count.

 

[Lmc3598]

No wait sorry its actually the kestrel page that tells you

 

[MJB]

Well, if Kestrels are more conspicuous then who says Sprawks are are more numerous? Not being provocative but just wondering who said there are more Sprawks than Kes's - you know, being an old cynic and all that?

In rising ever so slightly to your tongue-in-cheek provocation, I'll resist the Stephen Fry admonition to Alan Davies in similar circumstances, "There are these things called books", and suggest that woodland surveys (Sparrowhawk being a woodland edge specialist and ambush predator), raptor surveys (carried out by habitat and species specialists), atlasing (standardising visit numbers, time spent on transects, coverage of all habitats) and individual patchwork (many visits and constant routes) all come up with information, that when collated and extrapolated, stands the test of replicating the general picture in subsequent work.

Kestrels mostly ustilise open spaces and spend a fair amount of time hovering. But apart from all that, I've no idea who says...

It's worth checking the BTO Atlas interim info, of course, but I expect anyone responding to this thread will have done that...
MJBo

 

[forthbirder]

I have lived in various areas of scotland and would say that in the last twenty years or so there has been a huge increase in the numbers of sparrowhawks whilst kestrels are the only bird of prey that seem to have decreased. When I was a lad (starting to sound like an old fogey now) in Bo'ness, kestrels would be seen every day whilst sparrowhawks were a treat. Nowadays the reverse is true. Peregrine, osprey, red kite, buzzard, sea eagle all seem to be doing really well but the poor old kestrel does seem to have declined. I agree with other members that the hunting methods of species does have an effect on sightings but based on personal experience I'm sure that sparrowhawks are now more common than kestrels, at least in the central belt. Its estimated there are around forty pairs breeding in the Edinburgh area alone, and there is a cctv nest in the botanical gardens. Hope you get more sightings, Mark

 

[colindouglas]

can someone please tell me where to click to start my own post. i have done it once a while ago and now forget and cant se it lol

 

[Lmc3598]

go to a forum and the new thread button will be in the top left

 

[Kentbloke]

But apart from all that, I've no idea who says...

Touché!



forthbirder, Kestrel were probably wiped out by Sparrowhawks - or was it Eagle Owls?

 

[Lmc3598]

Touché!



forthbirder, Kestrel were probably wiped out by Sparrowhawks - or was it Eagle Owls?

do sparrowhawks eat kestrels?

 

[colindouglas]

sorry but i still cant see where to click to start my own thread can someone help please

 

[Lmc3598]

sorry but i still cant see where to click to start my own thread can someone help please

first go to the forums page

then click on the forum you want to post in.

you will be in the forum. a read button will be on the left hand side saying new thread click on it

 

[colindouglas]

sorry

all i can see is a the yellow reply button, i am not daft honest lol

 

[Lmc3598]

go to the top and click on the forums button. you will now see a list of different forums. click on the one you want to post in. on the left hand side a red button saying new thread will be there with a picture of a pen and paper

 

[MJB]

sorry but i still cant see where to click to start my own thread can someone help please

Colin,
If you go back from this page to the previous page, up above the list of threads is the attached logo. Click on the real logo, and you should get a page that lets you start a thread.
MJB