Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Sparrowhawk
Scientific Name:
Accipiter nisus
Common Family:
Sparrowhawk
Also Known As:
Eurasian Sparrowhawk or northern sparrowhawk
Length:
33cm
Wingspan (mm):
62cm
Speed:
30-40 km per hour reaching 50 km per hour in short bursts
Lifespan:
4 years Description
The sparrowhawk is an expert predator that is especially adept at high-speed flight weaving through dense woodland. The male is considerably smaller than female and amongst the smallest of all of Britain's raptors. Unlike the Kestrel, the sparrowhawk is almost never found perched on lampposts along the motorways and it never hovers over the ground in search of prey.
Distribution
Resident throughout most of southern and central Europe, including Britain and Ireland.
though they are often absent or at very low densities in
upland areas of Scotland, as well as the Western Isles
and Shetland.
Habitat
Sparrow hawks are quite common birds of woodland and open country as well as Scrub, Arable Farmland, Pasture Farmland, Villages, and urban gardens.
Diet
Small birds, often caught in mid-flight.
Behaviour
Often hunts by skimming low along the sides of woods, hedges or walls, sometimes flicking over the top of a hedge to surprise a bird on the other side. attacks from cover, pursues for short distance
Reproduction
They nest in trees or sometimes on cliff ledges. Typically five white eggs, blotched with red-brown, are laid in a twig nest.: in a tree, typically 8 to 10m above the ground
Sparrowhawks breed in wooded areas, typically conifer plantations that are not too
dense or too open, as well as broadleaved woodland. Conifer plantations about 20-
40 years old are particularly suitable. Breeding sites are changed often despite the
birds being sedentary. Nest building occurs in April and about 3 – 6 eggs are usually
laid in May. Juvenile fledge in July typically,
Population
European Population Size:Summer: 180 to 270 thousand pairs
Status
Green
Did You Know?
There are several species of small hawk in the genus Accipiter.