A magpie sat next to a sparrowhawk on the garden fence.

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

Its handy working from home as you get to see quite a bit that goes on in the garden, i couldn`t believe my eyes today when i looked out of the window.

The first thing i spotted was our resident sparrowhawk on the fence preening himself, i grabbed the binoculars to have a closer look. As i was looking through the binoculars i spotted one of our 2 resident magpies about 3 branches up not far away from where the sparrowhawk was on the fence, i thought your pushing it mate lol

I couldn`t believe what i saw next, the magpie hopped down the branches and onto the fence where the sparrowhawk was sat, he was about one fence panel away from the sparrowhawk. He then started walking towards the sparrowhawk and stopped, the magpie was no more than 2 feet from the sparrowhawk at this point. The magpie just sat there looking into the garden, the sparrowhawk just carried on preening itself and didn`t seem to be bothered about the magpie.

The magpie then flew down onto the lawn to eat some sultanas i had put out for the blackbirds, i was certain that the second the magpie took flight the sparrowhwak would have it, the sparrowhawk just ignored it and carried on making himslef look pretty. The magpie left after a few mins.

No more than 5 minutes later the sparrowhawk swooped into the garden and grabbed a finch, i got a distant pic of him eating his meal later.

My first question, are magpies not feared at all of raptors ? Secondly, the sparrowhawk was obviously hungry as he took a finch about 5 mins after the magpie left, do they not normally attack magpies ?

I was just gutted my camera was upstairs and by the time i had got my camera it was too late, it would have been a funny shot and a typical magpie having my front than blackpool type pic

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

To give you an idea of how close the magpie was, he was stood just the other side of that concrete post to the sparrowhawk`s left as you look at the pic and the sparrowhawk just carried on preening as he didn`t seem bothered with the magpie





Here is the sparrowhawk with his lunch which he caught just after the magpie had left, you can just about spot him through the trees, thats about 55ft away through a window so forgive the pic quality.

[dunlin]

I once watched a sparrowhawk catch a starling and before he had chance to kill his prey two magpies attacked the sparrowhawk and successfully chased it off.
The magpies then set about the starling killing it and moving it over to a hedge where they then started to consume there meal
The sparrowhawk was a male im not sure if they would have been so bold if faced with the much bigger female.
regards mark.......

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Steve_In_Cheshire

I
No more than 5 minutes later the sparrowhawk swooped into the garden and grabbed a finch, i got a distant pic of him eating his meal later.

My first question, are magpies not feared at all of raptors ? Secondly, the sparrowhawk was obviously hungry as he took a finch about 5 mins after the magpie left, do they not normally attack magpies ?

Since the Sparrowhawk is a male in your pic, it's unlikely he would have tried for the much larger prey species of a Magpie, especially when songbirds are in easy supply. Females certainly will take a Magpie with little hesitation - I saw an attack on one today and this time last year, actually saw a female carry off a Magpie. This time of year, a male Sparrowhawk can survive on one finch/sparrow sized bird per day or a Starling or Blackbird every few days, so ample food was already for the taking. He's hardly going to waste needless energy trying to catch a prey that is too big for him. A female can probably manage 3 to 4 days on a pigeon catch.

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

Originally Posted by Picidae

Since the Sparrowhawk is a male in your pic, it's unlikely he would have tried for the much larger prey species of a Magpie, especially when songbirds are in easy supply. Females certainly will take a Magpie with little hesitation - I saw an attack on one today and this time last year, actually saw a female carry off a Magpie. This time of year, a male Sparrowhawk can survive on one finch/sparrow sized bird per day or a Starling or Blackbird every few days, so ample food was already for the taking. He's hardly going to waste needless energy trying to catch a prey that is too big for him. A female can probably manage 3 to 4 days on a pigeon catch.

Interesting, thanks.

This male sparrowhawk we have has had quite a few doves in the past, he had 2 last week. He`s also had a wood pigeon, with the bigger birds he normally eats them on our lawn or next doors as i can testify to this with having to pick up the circle of feathers after.

I`m just curious as to why he would take a wood pigeon which are fairly big birds and probably heavier than a magpie but he just ignored the magpie, it would have been an easy catch for him when it was flying down from the fence onto the lawn.

[willing to learn]

The Sparrow hawk is a mature musket (male), a bit on the small size to really bother magpies. If it had been a spar, she might have been tempted.
Regards
Colin

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

Originally Posted by willing to learn

The Sparrow hawk is a mature musket (male)

Hi Colin and thanks.

Whats a musket male, i just thought sparrowhawks were either male or female lol .... I wasn`t aware that their are varying types.

[willing to learn]

Originally Posted by Steve_In_Cheshire

Interesting, thanks.

This male sparrowhawk we have has had quite a few doves in the past, he had 2 last week. He`s also had a wood pigeon, with the bigger birds he normally eats them on our lawn or next doors as i can testify to this with having to pick up the circle of feathers after.

I`m just curious as to why he would take a wood pigeon which are fairly big birds and probably heavier than a magpie but he just ignored the magpie, it would have been an easy catch for him when it was flying down from the fence onto the lawn.

Doves and pigeons offer much less of a fight, and lack the anvil pick axe of a beak and intelligence of the magpie. A musket comes in around 5 oz.
Regards
Colin

[willing to learn]

Originally Posted by Steve_In_Cheshire

Hi Colin and thanks.

Whats a musket male, i just thought sparrowhawks were either male or female lol .... I wasn`t aware that their are varying types.

"A Musket for A Knave"
From medieval times, linked to falconry

Sparrow Hawk Female "Spar" Male "Musket