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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ChrisKten" data-source="post: 1420505" data-attributes="member: 69033">As promised, here's a bit more detail of how, and where, the prey is taken.If you look at the picture of my garden you'll see the fence on the left, near to the bird baths. Many attacks, both successful and unsuccessful, are on Starlings that have flown onto the fence from the bird baths. They are more vulnerable when wet, especially juveniles. Most attacks are from a female that hides in one of my trees (as explained in my first post). I have seen 2 attacks (both failed) by Sparrowhawks that flew at speed from the left of the fence; I'm uncertain of the gender of those Sparrowhawks; it happened too quick. I have also seen a Collard Dove swept off the fence by a female. It was eaten in the next garden. I was unable to video it as I would have needed to stretch out of the window, which would have spooked it.I have also seen attacks on Starlings that were on the ground near the bird baths; these were also attacked from the tree. It seems that a wet Starling is an easy target, but they seem to love bathing (perhaps they know it might be the last bath they have <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> ). Two Collard Doves have also been attacked on the ground by a female from the tree. On one occasion a Starling was taken by a Sparrowhawk that flew accross the fences to the right of my garden. The Starling was taken from the tree and all I saw was it being carried off, still struggling, in the Sparrowhawk's talons. That was the only attack I've witnessed that came from that side.Nearly every other attack has come from a male Sparrowhawk (or Sparrowhawks) accross the top of the fences, from the left (as explained in my first post). There was one exception where a Dunnock was taken from under the tree. Although the attack was from the left; I think it was from a tree farther away and higher up, judging by the angle it came in at.Something else I've just thought of, nearly every small bird killed by the male has either been carried off, or eaten in the tree it was killed in. Although I have seen a number of Starlings carried off, most are eaten in mine, or my neighbours, garden. I would imagine this is due to the size/weight of the kill.I should mention that there are quite a few times that I found a neat pile of feathers in my garden. This only happens when it's light before I look out the garden (before 6 am).That's all I can think of for now; I'm sure there's much I've forgotten. I'll need to check my videos at a later date to refresh my memory.Hopefully some of you will find this information useful, or interesting.</blockquote>

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