A moral dilemma, what would you do in the same situation ?

Steve_In_Cheshire · #1 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 12:34 PM

I was upstairs working on the computer when i heard a huge thud against the window, i quickly turned round and saw a wood pigeon had hit the window, touch wood the bird is ok as it flew on the spot for a second or two and then flew into a tree where its been for a while.

Within seconds of the wood pigeon hitting the window our 20-30 blackbirds were going mental with distress calls everywhere, i looked out of the window onto the lawn and standing at the side of a bush was what looked like a female sparrowhawk. It was huge, we have a male sparrowhawk that comes quite a lot but he`s grey on his back, this one was a lot bigger and brown with huge yellow legs and big yellow beak.

I made my way downstairs into the garden where i could see the sparrowhawk had got one of our male blackbirds pinned in a bush and it was scared wittless, you could see it was distressed and agitated.

I had a split second to decide what to do, the reason i got into feeding birds was because of the blackbirds, one winter i spotted a lot of them on the snow covered lawn struggling to find food and this is the point where i started to feed the birds.

Anyway, i decided to clap the sparrowhawk away and she flew off. I know what some are going to say, the sparrowhawk needs to eat as well, i fully understand that.

Its a dilemma where you only have a split second to decide, do you let one of your favourite garden birds which is in a distressed state be slaughtered in front of your eyes or do you give it a helping hand, i gave it a helping hand.

We have a big bird population in our area which is why the sparrowhawks are obviously here, i`m sure she will get a feed no problem, i just couldn`t stand by where i had the oppertunity to do something to save a distressed bird.

How many would have done the same if it was one of your favourite birds and it was in a very distressed state, would you have let the sparrowhawk have it or save the bird ? Thats what i had to decide in a split second.

Jason Green · #2 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 12:53 PM

Hi Steve,

It depends enirely on the person. Some people say its nature and don't interfere and watch the Sparrowhawk enjoy a meal. Others will 'empathise' with the scared bird and can't ignore the alarm call. It affects their/your conscience and you did what you felt was right at that second based on your own loyalties.

As you say, you have plenty of birds in your area hence the Sparrowhawk's presence - so I doubt it'll go hungry. It's not as if you deter them on a frequent basis by the sound of it, either!

Just my thoughts!

Take care,

Jason

Boddie · #3 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 01:16 PM

The way I look at it is this

It scared the blackbird.
You scared it.

Next time its scares a blackbird might not be so close to you, so it gets to eat.

So you are only interfering with nature as much as it was interfering with the blackbird.

I would say this time the sparrowhawk was unlucky.

I would have done the same

aeshna5 · #4 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 01:18 PM

I would have let nature be as the Sparrowhawk needs to feed too + starvation (particularly of inexperienced birds) is a major mortality factor in Sparrowhawks.

However I understand how you feel about it.

AshLee · #5 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 02:19 PM

I'm totally against interference in any way. There is no moral dilemma here for me.

FUDGEY · #6 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 03:27 PM

This Blackbird will have been injured to some degree with the hawks talons piercing it's body, it could easily die depending how bad. Because of your actions it may die a slow lingering death. That hawk expends a lot of energy to catch a meal like that, you shouldn't be interfering in any way. Would you think it would be right if a gazelle lover in Africa shooed away a Cheetah after it caught one? It's the exact same thing.

Adam Cheeseman · #7 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 03:31 PM

Let the Sparrowhawk have its meal, no dilemma whatsoever! Apparently their hunts are only successful on 1 in 19 attempts (BTO)!

Cheers,

Adam

Tringa · #8 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 03:39 PM

I'm against the interference, but everyone has their own decision to make.

In this circumstance I think Fudgey has made the best point. If you had been able stop the sparrowhawk making the attack, that is one thing, but it seems likely that no bird will benefit from this encounter.

Dave

terste · #9 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 03:51 PM

Sorry, maybe I have mis-understood but I read the original post to mean that the blackbird had been trapped in the bush not physically injured by the sparrowhawk.

If so, then the blackbird got away, morally wrong to interfere but hell I would have done the same. Thats what makes us human.

k4t3 · #10 (**permalink**) 28-12-2009, 04:12 PM

Oh dear, the eternal sparrowhawk dilemma...we have all faced it at sometime and have maybe handled it in a way that we later think was wrong. The fact is that you did what you did on the spur of the moment and that is that...all you can do now is listen to the advice from the folks on here and make your own mind up.

I have done a similar thing in the past, I know how you feel!