Sparrowhawk diet

[SheffieldLass]

Does anyone know the average consumption of birds by a male Sparrowhawk, and of a female Sparrowhawk (daily, weekly, or yearly)? The yearly figure would obviously take in the breeding season, which would be rather higher than the rate for out of breeding season.

I'm asking as I was talking to someone yesterday who was quoting very high figures, and also said that sparrowhawks take a lot of birds because they only eat a little bit of them and discard the rest .... Which is not the behaviour that I have seen, or indeed doesn't match the neat piles of plucked feathers with not much else remaining. I suspect it is one of the usual sources propogating misinformation, but would like to know accurate info as I don't know it.

Thanks

[solus]

Well, I can only go by the few kills I've witnessed in my own garden when the whole kill was consumed. Two were female Sparrowhawks with Collared Doves and they stayed in the garden on the ground under the partial shelter of a shrub until there was either nothing left or the remaining prey was sufficiently reduced in size to be carried away easily. The others were smaller birds (sparrows, finches) which were consumed on the fence leaving just the plucked feathers behind.

This sounds suspiciously like propaganda by the so-called songbird survival people Sparrowhawks kill other birds to eat - there would be too much time, effort and energy wasted if they only ate little bits of their prey - unless of course they are forced to abandon it due to disturbance, like by someone waving their arms and yelling "Shoo, nasty bird!" at it. Cats, however may well leave dead and decapitated birds lying around....

[accipter]

First could I ask please what the figures where you where given, I can give you the figures taken from my field notes as through the breeding season I study s/hawks every day from first light until sundown, outside the breeding season its around 2 to 3 sparrow size birds per day or the female may take 1 wood pigeon one day and not kill again for 2 to 3 days when they have chicks to feed this can be from 8 to 12 or more per day if its a large clutch, on a yearly basis this works out at around 2.500 sparrow size birds these figures are for a pair of course.

[drooper]

Great site! Thanks for answering a question I was wondering about. Walking alongside the river the other day there was a female sparrowhawk in a tree. And within a couple of metres, a woodpigeon sat there completely unperturbed. Could it tell the sparrowhawk was well fed? (This was near Barnes Wetland Centre which I guess more be like a Michelin starred restaurant for BOP.)

[accipter]

The element of surprise is the s/hawk main tactic as there was none the hawk would not try, I have known wood pigeon to build in the next tree and left alone until the pigeon has chicks that is.

[drooper]

Thanks for that. I'm still wondering if the woodpigeon was either bold or stupid. Or had noticed something I hadn't. As it happened the s/hawk flew off. But not very far.

[SheffieldLass]

Originally Posted by accipter

First could I ask please what the figures where you where given, I can give you the figures taken from my field notes as through the breeding season I study s/hawks every day from first light until sundown, outside the breeding season its around 2 to 3 sparrow size birds per day or the female may take 1 wood pigeon one day and not kill again for 2 to 3 days when they have chicks to feed this can be from 8 to 12 or more per day if its a large clutch, on a yearly basis this works out at around 2.500 sparrow size birds these figures are for a pair of course.

Thanks. Yes your figures were about what I thought. The figure I was told was over 3,000 per bird. Followed up with 'We soon won't have any birds left. There are not the numbers that there used to be.' Though he added 'Though there are still plenty around here!'

The discussions we had did have a 'songbird survival' type agenda.

[FUDGEY]

Perhaps it was a Male hawk and the Woody was too big for it to tackle.