Page 140 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

BIRDS OF PREY
Order Accipitriformes Family Accipitridae Species Accipiter nisus
Sparrowhawk

browner
above
short, small than adult
medium-length head
wings, fanned
square when yellow eye JUVENILE
soaring
orange on face brown
bars
below
long, thin, MALE bluish grey
square tail upperparts
barred
orange pale line over
below
eye
FEMALE
broad wings
(angled back to
point in fast flight)
barred
MALE grey
below
IN FLIGHT
FLIGHT: straight, with several quick, deep beats
between short, flat glides; soars with wings forward, FEMALE
tail tight closed; deep, bouncing undulations in display.
n many places still scarce after decades of accidental
Ipesticide poisoning and centuries of persecution,
the Sparrowhawk is common and familiar in other
areas where its recovery has been complete. It typically soars over woods, perches
inconspicuously, or dashes by, low, with a flap-flap-glide action. It is bold enough to
hunt in gardens and parks but is essentially a forest-edge bird, extending its hunting
range into more open country in winter. Males are much smaller than females.
VOICE Repetitive kek-kek-kek-kek-kek, thin, squealing peee-ee, but generally quiet
away from nest.
NESTING Small, flat platform of thin twigs on flat branch close to trunk; 4 or 5 AGILE HUNTER
eggs; 1 brood; March–June. Broad wings and a long tail give
FEEDING Hunts small birds, darting along hedges, woodland edges, or into gardens great manoeuvrability in tight
to take prey by surprise; males take tits and finches, females thrushes and pigeons. spaces and accuracy when hunting.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Throughout Europe, except in Ice-
contrasted land, in wooded farmland and hills
upperwings longer and forest. In winter, in more open
more bulging
wing shape head areas, including salt marshes with
KESTREL 32 adjacent woodland. Hunts almost
similar in flight; anywhere, including forays into
more wingbeats bigger gardens where small birds are fed.
between fewer
glides, frequent GOSHAWK 32; Seen in the UK
hovers; see p.140 see p.139 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 28–40cm (11–16in) Wingspan 60–80cm (23 1 ⁄2 –32in) Weight 150–320g (5–12oz)
Social Family groups Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Secure
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