JayCee
posted a picture of a sparrowhawk licking its chops at the thought of the small
birds in their bird bath. It reminded me of a video I have from about
fifteen years ago.
I always think sparrowhawks look as if they are wearing loose stripey pyjama trousers.
A
couple of times that summer, we had been puzzled by feathers scattered
in circles on the lawn. One morning I came in from the garden and there
was the answer. Looking back through the kitchen window, I saw a
sparrowhawk with a starling or young blackbird. It must have caught it
just as I came in. Fortunately, I had the video camera home from work,
so was able to film it.
Three magpies look on hoping to get some, threatening and making a lot of noise. They could so easily have become the dessert.
I've
just spent a couple of hours editing the video down to 5 minutes,
keeping the most gory bits of course. The full incident took around six
or seven times that. My mother would have said to get a move on and eat
it up while it was still warm.
https://youtu.be/zlykhCtchms
I saw sparrowhawk attack a group of starlings in my garden just a few weeks ago. I think it got one but when I went out to look there was nothing there, so I can only assume it carried its catch away.
ReplyDeleteI wondered whether the one in the video would have remained so near the house but for the magpies. I would have thought it would have taken its catch away.
DeleteWell captured Tasker! It seems that some remains were left for the magpies.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to see because it takes off so suddenly and quickly, but there was nothing on the grass except feathers.
DeleteEverything's gotta eat!
ReplyDeleteIt's table manners could be better.
DeleteIt's the ciiiiiiiiiiircle of liiiiiiife......
ReplyDeleteI guess the sparrowhawk ended up being eaten in the end.
DeleteThe bird seems to be surprisingly wary when it is perhaps a top bird predator. Wary of foxes or dogs perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it was only a young one. But Meike's comment below is informative.
DeleteWell done. A good education for we more naïve city dwellers.
ReplyDeleteIt was an education to me too. I am pleased with the video now I've edited it down from 30 minutes.
DeleteI am not going to watch, I hate blood and gore, but remember years ago whilst digging in the garden, a little robin suddenly flew to my feet. Next second a wing brushed my face as a cheated sparrowhawk wheeled off having lost his prey.
ReplyDeleteSensible robin. Saved by Aunty Thelma.
DeleteIn reply to Andrew's comment: even as a top bird predator, any sensible bird of prey will be wary of birds of the corvid family, as these tend to gather in twos or threes to attack even the much larger buzzards. A bird of prey will take great care not to let those attacks get too close; if a wing is even slightly injured, it could mean a slow death of starvation because the bird of prey can not hunt anymore and has no alternative food resource (unlike corvidae, who will eat just about anything they come across).
ReplyDeleteThat's informative, thank you. I wonder whether, if the magpies had mobbed it, they would have got the food. Why didn't they try?
DeleteI've seen smaller birds 'mob' an eagle or a hawk before, but last month, I was surprised to see a small lone bird giving a bald eagle 'what for'. The eagle was swooping, soaring, and diving to excape it. One small bird! I would have expected that the eagle would have come around and got himself a quick bite to eat.
DeleteAfter my post, P found a pile of soft grey feathers on the lawn so our sparrowhawk didn't go away hungry after all.
ReplyDeleteGreat video Tasker.
Thank you. I would not be surprised if you find more. Unless it was P? Are you sure you are feeding him enough? He seems to use a lot of energy.
DeleteRaptors are incredible birds. I didn't want to watch the vid, but imagine that it's good and gory!
ReplyDeleteIt's not as gory as you might imagine. Basically, it pulls its prey apart and eats it.
DeleteI get frequent visits from Sparrowhawks and often find the feathers on the grass. I've never actually seen one consuming its prey however. Well captured.
ReplyDeleteI guess you have numerous birds of prey up there. This one was only 10 feet from the kitchen window.
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