Sparrowhawk

Honey65 · « **on:** February 20, 2014, 08:04 »

I've just seen a sparrowhawk in my garden eyeing the chickens!! They (and I) are very unsettled by its presence. Does anyone know if to will take one? I imagine it would if it got chance.

the girls are contained within an electric fenced part of the garden which has been great at keeping out foxes but its not going to protect against this!

Anything I can do for immediate protection until I get a covered run?

Sassy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2014, 08:58 »

As a rule a sparrowhawk would not take a full grown chicken. Younger stock definitely, bantams I don't know. However, it does depend on how hungry it is, when it last ate and the chance of getting its usual food. If it is old or unwell it may see a chicken as an easy target. Sorry I know this is not helpful. Can you put some garden furniture into their run? This would give them something to hide under and make it much more difficult if not impossible for the hawk to make its swooping catch.

8doubles · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2014, 09:45 »

As above ,sparrow hawks top size for prey is woodpigeon and even they are not common kills.
Collared doves are a favourite if nothing smaller is easily available. The local hen spar once killed a dove on the lawn 8 ft from my hens which did give them the jitters for the rest of the day !

snowdrops · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2014, 10:46 »

Can you string something over the top. We put an extra washing line up in our garden to deter a ? (Name escapes me)that was eying the fish in the pond having read up that they need 3/4 metres of clear space to take flight. It seems to have done the trick

8doubles · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2014, 12:32 »

Quote from: snowdrops on February 20, 2014, 10:46

Can you string something over the top. We put an extra washing line up in our garden to deter a ? (Name escapes me)that was eying the fish in the pond having read up that they need 3/4 metres of clear space to take flight. It seems to have done the trick

Herons are quite big and ungainly in the air, a sparrowhawk is a very aerobatic woodland hunter used to flying through thickets to get its dinner.
They have been observed flying in-between the rails of a wooden five bar farm gates just for fun.

snowdrops · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2014, 12:36 »

Quote from: 8doubles on February 20, 2014, 12:32

Quote from: snowdrops on February 20, 2014, 10:46
Can you string something over the top. We put an extra washing line up in our garden to deter a ? (Name escapes me)that was eying the fish in the pond having read up that they need 3/4 metres of clear space to take flight. It seems to have done the trick

Herons are quite big and ungainly in the air, a sparrowhawk is a very aerobatic woodland hunter used to flying through thickets to get its dinner.
They have been observed flying in-between the rails of a wooden five bar farm gates just for fun.

Yes heron it was thanks for putting me out of my misery.

madcat · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2014, 15:41 »

Quote from: 8doubles on February 20, 2014, 09:45

As above ,sparrow hawks top size for prey is woodpigeon and even they are not common kills.

The woodpigeons come in to feed under the bird feeder, and that is where the female sparrowhawk comes to collect lunch every so often. The small birds seem to be fast enough to get into the apple tree to avoid her (most of the time i suppose) but the woodpigs - and the doves, but we have fewer of them - are so slow off the ground that they don't stand a chance. Dinner is served. She is one formidable bird.

8doubles · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2014, 16:51 »

Agreed the woodpigeon do not stand a chance speed wise but they are strong birds and put up a struggle in which the spar could get damaged .
Peregrines hit pigeon at high speed which knocks the wind out of them and makes them easy to finish off but spars do not carry the same punch so it can become a wrestling bout.

Best practice for wrestling is to pick on someone smaller than yourself !

madcat · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2014, 17:27 »

You remember that teacher you were terrified of when you were little and how your insides went all wobbly when he/she stared at you? Well, when she is on her prey and looks across at a mere human .... i feel like that scared 5 year old again.

Amazing bird.

Peregrines we don't see much off - there was a pair that checked out the church tower, but I don't think they were into bell ringing and took themselves off. There was hope that the disused railway viaduct towers would be attractive, but I haven't heard that they took to them. The lady who keeps fancy doves will be pleased.

Kites, on the other hand, are working their way in this direction and I'll wager we will have a breeding pair somewhere in the village this spring.

8doubles · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2014, 17:45 »

Quote from: madcat on February 20, 2014, 17:27

You remember that teacher you were terrified of when you were little and how your insides went all wobbly when he/she stared at you? Well, when she is on her prey and looks across at a mere human .... i feel like that scared 5 year old again. Amazing bird.

Peregrines we don't see much off - there was a pair that checked out the church tower, but I don't think they were into bell ringing and took themselves off. There was hope that the disused railway viaduct towers would be attractive, but I haven't heard that they took to them. The lady who keeps fancy doves will be pleased.

Kites, on the other hand, are working their way in this direction and I'll wager we will have a breeding pair somewhere in the village this spring.

Have a look at a Goshawk if you get a chance, like a spar on steroids ..........frightened of nothing.

I have heard they even eat Barn Owls !

Honey65 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2014, 18:36 »

Well, the girls are still here on my return from work. Given the mild winter, I wouldn't think that wild birds are that hungry at the moment so I will keep my fingers crossed! I think its enough of a scare to get a covered run though which would have the added advantage of poo control across the garden

8doubles · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2014, 19:03 »

Always a good idea to have a covered run if possible, the spar is ok but town foxes are not !

cbv8 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2014, 00:35 »

The woodpigeons come in to feed under the bird feeder, and that is where the female sparrowhawk comes to collect lunch every so often. The small birds seem to be fast enough to get into the apple tree to avoid her (most of the time i suppose) but the woodpigs - and the doves, but we have fewer of them - are so slow off the ground that they don't stand a chance. Dinner is served. She is one formidable bird.
[/quote]Sparrow Hawk=Concorde

Pigeon's=SpruceGoose

8doubles · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2014, 08:52 »

Quote from: cbv8 on February 22, 2014, 00:35

The woodpigeons come in to feed under the bird feeder, and that is where the female sparrowhawk comes to collect lunch every so often. The small birds seem to be fast enough to get into the apple tree to avoid her (most of the time i suppose) but the woodpigs - and the doves, but we have fewer of them - are so slow off the ground that they don't stand a chance. Dinner is served. She is one formidable bird.

Sparrow Hawk=Concorde

Pigeon's=SpruceGoose

[/quote]

I think that the Spruce Goose comparison is a tad unfair seeing that we do not have a bird of prey that could catch the humble Woodie in level flight !
With a tailwind you have a job catching them with an ounce of 6 shot !

Sparrowhawk

Honey65

Sparrowhawk

Sassy

Re: Sparrowhawk

8doubles

Re: Sparrowhawk

snowdrops

Re: Sparrowhawk

8doubles

Re: Sparrowhawk

snowdrops

Re: Sparrowhawk

madcat

Re: Sparrowhawk

8doubles

Re: Sparrowhawk

madcat

Re: Sparrowhawk

8doubles

Re: Sparrowhawk

Honey65

Re: Sparrowhawk

8doubles

Re: Sparrowhawk

cbv8

Re: Sparrowhawk

8doubles

Re: Sparrowhawk

Similar Topics

sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk