Many UK residents are quite familiar with sparrowhawks, as these birds of prey are among the most common UK raptors. A far cry from the massive eagles of the UK, sparrowhawks are nonetheless capable predators. Although plenty have observed sparrowhawks, few know the facts regarding these birds. Indeed, some are convinced that sparrowhawks are responsible for lowering the number of birds that visit their gardens. This is a serious accusation, and we’re going to discuss facts related to sparrowhawk diets to determine if there’s any truth to this assertion. So, what do sparrowhawks eat?
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What Do Sparrowhawks Eat?
It doesn’t take a genius to deduce that sparrowhawks eat birds. After all, their namesake suggests as much. However, it’s fair to wonder if sparrowhawks eat other creatures. Let’s discuss sparrowhawk diets – what do sparrowhawks eat?
Sparrowhawks eat a wide variety of birds that range in size from tit birds to partridges. Female Eurasian Sparrowhawks are substantially larger than males, being perhaps one-third bigger. Therefore, females are far more apt to take larger prey than males. Although this size difference is helpful for nesting, it also ensures that males and females don’t have to target the same prey. In addition to birds, sparrowhawks occasionally eat small mammals.
Now that we’ve addressed the question, “What do sparrowhawks eat?” I’ll answer some questions about the specific prey that sparrowhawks may consume.
Do Sparrowhawks Eat Pigeons?
Pigeons and doves are sizable birds that are rather common in the United Kingdom. Although there is no shortage of these birds, it seems that it may be difficult for a sparrowhawk to kill a pigeon given that they’re roughly the same size as these birds. Nonetheless, do sparrowhawks eat pigeons?
Yes, sparrowhawks do eat pigeons! Indeed, pigeons, Stock Doves, Eurasian Collared-Doves, and turtle doves are all eaten by sparrowhawks.
Now, you may be wondering about how do sparrowhawks kill pigeons when these birds are nearly the same size as them. Well, sparrowhawks rely on the element of surprise to get the jump on pigeons and doves. Indeed, they attempt to get the jump on them and grab them before they know what hit them. The birds may then be killed by the impact of the attack, but if they’re not, sparrowhawks will squeeze a pigeon into submission using their claws.
Remember, female sparrowhawks target larger birds than do males due to their bigger size. Therefore, most sparrowhawks that attack pigeons and doves are female.
Do Sparrowhawks Eat Blackbirds?
Blackbirds are beloved in the UK and throughout Europe. The wonderful songs of the males fill the air in many UK gardens, and pairs of blackbirds frequently build their nests in such places. Most would hate to see any harm befall blackbirds, but do sparrowhawks eat blackbirds?
Yes, blackbirds are often targeted by sparrowhawks because of their abundance and satiating size. Blackbirds are not nearly as large as pigeons, so it’s more common for male sparrowhawks to attack blackbirds. However, they are an optimal prey size for sparrowhawks, so both males and females may attempt to capture them.
Blackbirds are particularly susceptible to sparrowhawk attacks after they’ve just fledged. This is a big reason why the vast majority of blackbirds do not reach adulthood.
Do Sparrowhawks Eat Sparrows?
Birds like House Sparrows and Eurasian Tree Sparrows are common in many parts of the United Kingdom. Yes, these songbirds are regular visitors to bird feeders and often build their nests in birdhouses. Alas, their tendency to spend time in the open makes them vulnerable to attack. Do sparrowhawks eat sparrows?
Yes! Fortunately, the sparrowhawk namesake is accurate, as these birds do—in fact—eat sparrows. Sparrows do not amount to a massive amount of food for a raptor, but sparrowhawks are nonetheless happy to grab a sparrow when given the chance.
Male sparrowhawks are more apt to capture sparrows than females, as their smaller size allows them to better sneak up on sparrows and pursue them through tight corridors. Sparrows are especially likely to be taken when sparrowhawks are feeding their young, as they provide a perfect meal for a growing sparrowhawk.
Do Sparrowhawks Eat Squirrels?
Sparrowhawks are renowned for their tremendous bird-catching abilities, but it’s fair to wonder if they put those skills to use trying to capture mammals. For instance, squirrels live alongside sparrowhawks in their forested habitats, so do sparrowhawks eat squirrels?
No, sparrowhawks do not typically eat squirrels. Sparrowhawks are bird specialists, so squirrels and other mammals are rarely on the menu. Indeed, pellet analyses from sparrowhawks support this notion, mammal remains in sparrowhawk pellets are far outnumbered by bird remains.
Nevertheless, sparrowhawks may infrequently capture small mammals. This practice is most common during the breeding season when there are many hungry mouths to feed at a nest. Otherwise, sparrowhawks rarely target squirrels and other mammals.
Do Sparrowhawks Hover?
Hovering is a skill that some raptors use to detect prey below. Kestrels, some buzzards, and osprey are known for their hovering abilities, but do sparrowhawks hover?
No, sparrowhawks do not hover, as their wings are not adapted to this behaviour. While they can soar through the air, they are not known to be birds that hover while trying to locate prey. Instead, they prefer to sit in a concealed spot and wait for birds to show up before attempting to make a kill.
Those who believe they observed a hovering sparrowhawk were likely looking at a kestrel, as the birds are roughly the same size.
What Time Of Day Do Sparrowhawks Hunt?
Those interested in possibly observing or detering a sparrowhawk attack may want to know more about when sparrowhawks hunt. So, what time of day do sparrowhawks hunt?
Well, like all hawks, sparrowhawks are diurnal predators. This means that sparrowhawks can hunt at any time in which there is enough daylight present to do so. Given that birds are generally most active during the mornings, sparrowhawks may try to grab birds during this time. However, there does not seem to conclusively be a specific time of day that is best for sparrowhawk hunting. Instead, these birds are very opportunistic.
How Often Do Sparrowhawks Eat?
Those concerned about sparrowhawks eating all of the birds in their yards may wonder about the frequency with which sparrowhawks eat. Therefore, how often do sparrowhawks eat?
Well, first we have to recognize that sparrowhawks can only eat after they’ve captured prey for themselves. Indeed, the success rate of these birds on their prey-capture attempts is usually around 10%, so they fail to catch a bird far more often than they have success.
Moreover, the size of prey captured by a sparrowhawk will influence how often they need to eat. For instance, capturing a pigeon or dove may tide a sparrowhawk over for three days, but a sparrow may only be enough food for one day.
Additionally, know that sparrowhawks will need to hunt far more often when they’re feeding nestlings. During times in which nestlings are present, an adult male may capture around eight birds per day. What do sparrowhawks eat when they’re trying to provide for nestlings? Well, their diets remain unchanged, they will just need to capture more birds than typical when trying to feed growing babies.
How To Deter Sparrowhawks
Some readers will be concerned about a sparrowhawk being present around their yards after learning the answer to, “What do sparrowhawks eat?”. Indeed, they may believe that it will eat all of the other birds. Although sparrowhawks are efficient hunters, they will not have the ability to kill all of the birds in an area. Sparrowhawk attacks are simply part of the natural cycle of things, and they are an inevitable part of nature.
Alas, some may not be satisfied with this answer, and learning how to deter sparrowhawks will become a priority for them. Attempts to answer this question will yield few good answers. For starters, the answer to the question, “Are sparrowhawks protected?” is yes, meaning these birds are legally protected from harm.
Moreover, anywhere that birds gather to feed is going to attract sparrowhawks. Therefore, those who feed birds should not be surprised when a sparrowhawk occasionally stops by to also try for a meal.