Good news for Sparrowhawk fans

[FUDGEY]

Im sure many of you will remember a section on Springwatch last year when Chris Packham went to visit Dave Culley at his home which he named Sparrowhawk Island. This guy has took birdwatching to another level. I have been in contact with this guy and he has told me so many new things about Sparrowhawks that I would never have learnt in my life time. Any way to the point of this thread, he has almost completed a film about these spectacular birds and its due for editing, I for one cant wait for it. Here is the springwatch footage for those interested.

FREE Sparrowhawk and british wild bird videos and footage by Sparrowhawk Island - Real Sparrowhawks and other wildlife in the wild captured live on web cam - The UK's Number 1 website for Sparrowhawks in the wild

[faz]

wow some good footage there never never seen a male display before did not even know they did that

[rossy]

ta for putting it up fudgey. i remember the show. had a glance at some of the other clips. and its bird paradise at dave culleys isnt it. rossy.

[Deb London]

Very entertaining.

[JeffH]

Great stuff Fudgey - thanks for the link

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

[RoyW]

I never watch Springwatch or Autumnwatch, so I hadn't seen this before.
I have no doubt that the film will be extremely interesting, and will show unprecedented observations/film of many behaviours (not unprecedented behaviours as Chris Packham said in the linked video - there is little doubt that the behaviours have occurred before, even if they haven't been observed).
With regard to the "courtship dance" though, I would have to say that I see nothing at all in the clip to suggest that that is what is actually taking place - though perhaps there is more to be seen and only part of the "dance" clip was shown on Springwatch. In my opinion, a single brief observation of this behaviour, particularly if it ends with the male flying off (as it appears to), is not enough to enable any conclusion to be drawn as to the purpose. Spreading the breast feathers and undertail coverts has previously been observed in Sparrowhawks prior to mating but is part of the submissive posture that the female takes to indicate to the male that she is ready; and 'picking at the feet' is the sort of behaviour that could be shown as a displacement activity by a hawk that is unsure how it should be reacting. So does the film really show a courtship dance, or is the male just uncertain how he should be reacting to the arrival of the female on this occasion, and showing her that he is no threat, rather than trying to show that he is a suitable mate?

[Wild-Woman]

Great footage and I suspect there's more to see and we may have only seen the beginning of the over-all display.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I suspect there's more to see and we may have only seen the beginning of the over-all display.

I'm really not convinced about that, if there was something more significant to be seen I think that is the part that would have been shown.

[FUDGEY]

Roy it looked to me like a courtship dance, but Im sure you and others will diagree. I trust Daves judgement more than anyone as he has spent over 15,000 hours observing them. Yes, 15,000! I think he will know a lot more than us about these birds and this is why I am going with it too.

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by RoyW

I'm really not convinced about that, if there was something more significant to be seen I think that is the part that would have been shown.

Maybe, but I think that CP reacted like he may have seen the whole thing.
Perhaps we got starters and CP got, main course, desert, cheese and crackers and an after-eight mint with coffee! He looked wholey satisfied!!