Sparrowhawks at birdfeeder

[windflower]

I have three birdfeeders in my back garden and a seemingly endless supply of insatiable small birds who make good use of them. A pair of sparrowhawks are frequent visitors to this supermarket and I often see them catching anything from blue tits to greater spotted woodpeckers there. Recently, their visits have become so frequent that I have begun to wonder if there is in fact more than one pair of sparrowhawks and whether they even bother to feed anywhere else. The ground around the feeders is covered in small feathers from the daily kills.

Yesterday I watched as an unwary greenfinch was caught inside the squirrel guard of one feeder. The sparrowhawk wouldn't let go but had too poor a grip on the unfortunate bird to kill it. The hawk hung upside down for many minutes as the greenfinch, snagged in one talon, looked around helplessly, unable to escape. Eventually, the sparrowhawk managed to get enough of its head through the guard to start plucking at the greenfinch, which died a very slow death. I've seen similar dramas enacted on numerous occasions and can never quite decide whether to feel privileged or horrified to witness this spectacle in my own garden.

The upshot yesterday was that I decided to offer the feeding birds as much protection as I could by erecting some bamboo canes near a couple of the feeders and hanging a circle of pig netting around the feeder most prone to direct assault. The result of this is that the sparrowhawks are now finding it very much more difficult to catch anything. Over lunch today we watched one hawk making repeated forays, at two or three minute intervals, over a period of perhaps half an hour. He now seems to have given up as I imagine he's probably getting tired.

My first reaction was to feel satisfied that my efforts had been successful, but then I began to consider that the hungry sparrowhawk will have used up far more calories than previously he might have needed to do to get his meal, and he will need to replace them by catching more small birds than before. So has my well intentioned intervention been an own goal?

What do other people think about this?

[nightshade]

I moved the feeders to give both sides an equal chance, they have all got to eat (I was a bit miffed when the hawk took a pipistrelle though)

[HamieRaptorcliff]

There are lots of more knowledgeable people on this site than me, who will, I'm sure, soon help you out with your query.

For me though, it sounds like you may be causing an issue by trying to protect the birds from the sprawk. With the best intentions, I have no doubt, but its almost like you are attracting the smaller birds into your garden (and away from areas that the sprawk may well need them for its survival) and then keeping them out of reach from the sprawk. Its a lose - lose for the sprawk.

For me, I'd say you have four birdfeeders in your garden - your 3 'traditional' feeders and then the birds themselves. Sounds like there are plenty of meals to go round for everyone.

Sad as it might be to see one get caught, it would be a lot, lot sadder to see a bird (and possibly its young) starve.

There are numerous debates, opinions, etc on whether we should even be feeding the birds at all. But, I do it, and if I was lucky enought to have a sprawk visit my garden, I'd let them be.

Cheers

[faz]

I would personally take down the netting if the sparrow hawk or any of the other birds gets tangled in it will die a horrid death if you are not around to free it? even if you are around trying to free a wild and scared sparrow hawk would not be easy if it catches you with its talons and binds in to your flesh you will have one hell of a job to free your self as small as they are they have a very tight grip and can cause you a lot of damage. yes it a shame if you feed your little birds and a long comes the hawk but its all part of nature and the hawk needs to feed and will be feeding young before too long I would treat it as a privilege to have the hawks visits your garden

[nightshade]

You dont say how your feeders are arranged, are they in a tree or on metal poles? Mine are on a tree now and I just moved them out of the direct flightline of the Sparrow Hawk it just buys the small birds milli-seconds but both birds get to feed. As Fazz says that netting could cause a lot of grief if the Hawk gets tangled, ditch it, make the best of the situation and get the camera out.

[Littlesparrow]

Yes like the previous reply I would look at the placement of your feeders, mine are near or in thick shrub cover so the small birds have some chance of getting out of the way. I also don't feed the birds for a couple of days if I see our sparrow hawk in the area. You have to accept the sparrow hawk will get some of the birds, but I don't want to attract them to my feeder either.

[windflower]

Thanks for all your replies. I don't think the wire netting poses a threat to the hawk. It is highly visible and rigid and the hawk could get through the mesh easily if it wanted to, but it does pose an obstruction to flight, giving the small birds an extra bit of protection because the hawk cannot now swoop in unimpeded and grasp a bird inside the squirrel guard before it has a chance to escape. There was much more of a risk of the hawk becoming trapped by the finer mesh of the squirrel guard.

All my feeders are attached to or up against trees/shrubs but one of them in particular has a clear flight path to it and the hawk uses this to surprise any bird that is feeding on the far side of the feeder and doesn't see it coming in time. This is the one I have protected with wire.

I shall think carefully on everything people have said. Thanks again for your views.

[rossy]

Originally Posted by windflower

Thanks for all your replies. I don't think the wire netting poses a threat to the hawk. It is highly visible and rigid and the hawk could get through the mesh easily if it wanted to, but it does pose an obstruction to flight, giving the small birds an extra bit of protection because the hawk cannot now swoop in unimpeded and grasp a bird inside the squirrel guard before it has a chance to escape. There was much more of a risk of the hawk becoming trapped by the finer mesh of the squirrel guard.

All my feeders are attached to or up against trees/shrubs but one of them in particular has a clear flight path to it and the hawk uses this to surprise any bird that is feeding on the far side of the feeder and doesn't see it coming in time. This is the one I have protected with wire.

I shall think carefully on everything people have said. Thanks again for your views.

what do you mean wire ? you could maim the sparrowhawk, on a recent study sparrowhawks were named as bop on the decline, i know it dosent look pretty , when one comes and catches its prey, but its nature and thats what sparrowhawks do, your not helping the birds that visit to escape quickly enough, by having guards on them, its a tough old world out there, rossy.