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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ChrisKten" data-source="post: 1583194" data-attributes="member: 69033">As you've read, it's completely the opposite in my garden. Sparrowhawks will obviously develop tactics that gives them the highest success rate.My garden is full of birds, and incredibly noisy most of the time, so any Sparrowhawks can't fail to notice such a large amount of potential prey. A stoop-like attack would only work for birds in the treetops. The overhanging branches, wire fence at the back intertwined with Blackberry bushes, plus over 100 birds looking skyward for danger, means the chances of success from above are small. However, hiding in a tree and flying along the top of the gardens gives a much higher success rate.Raptors are highly intelligent predators that either learn tactics that work or die. It would seem that there is no "text book" attack, tactics are developed by individual birds according to the habitat they are hunting in. Judging by the amount of unsuccessful attacks, I would guess that much of it is simply "trial and error"; if it works: do it again. if it fails: try something else.</blockquote>