female

female male underwing European distribution flying

Identification

The Sparrowhawk is about the same size as a Kestrel and has a similarly long tail but its wings have rounded not pointed tips and are shorter as if not fully extended. Whether soaring or gliding, Sparrowhawks have a characteristic flap-flap-glide action.

Habitat

Breeds and winters in woodland, particularly coniferous, and also occurs in winter in farmland and even gardens.

Behaviour

Often hunts by skimming low along the sides of woods, hedges or walls, sometimes flicking over the top of a hedge to surprise a bird on the other side.

Migration

Largely a resident in Britain and Ireland but juveniles can disperse widely during August. It can also be an autumn and winter visitor from the continent. Birds from Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe are migratory.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Sparrowhawk is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Leiden, South Holland (Zuid Holland), Netherlands 06/03/2005	Merenwijk Park, Leiden, South Holland (Zuid Holland), Netherlands 06/03/2005	Leiden, South Holland (Zuid Holland), Netherlands 02/04/2010	Edwalton, Notts 21/07/2010	Heysham, Lancs 21/07/2010
undisc. site, Suffolk 22/06/2010	undisc. site, Suffolk 08/07/2010	undisc. site, Suffolk 08/07/2010	Port e Vullen, IOM 10/07/2010	Port e Vullen, IOM 10/07/2010

 View all pictures of Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Britain
Bulgaria
Canary Islands
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lichtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madeira
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

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	BTO: Look after your Robin this Christmas	Friday 19th December 2008
	Get advice on how you can protect your garden birds from Sparrowhawks.   read on

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