A Sparrow Hawk came to dinner

I've one that passes through but doesn't stop to deal with my ferals:mad: Great pics.

Just saw one down the back of my garden. Wasn't sure what it was at first because I've never seen one before. It had bright plumage on it's front and really stark orange rings around it's eyes. Thought it was just a weird bird plucking worms until I got the binoculars and saw it was plucking a pigeon and munching away. Was pretty cool, beautiful looking bird. Nice to know he's in the area. I presume it's a he because I read somewhere the female doesn't leave the nest around this time of year. Unforunately, a bloody magpie dropped in to see what was going on and kind of scared it away a few feet. The sparrow hawk retired to a wall, while the magpie hopped over to look at the carcass. It was comical as the magpie almost looked like it had just realised it was a dead bird, then looked back at the sparrow hawk, then back to the kill and decided to feck off. Didn't think a sparrow hawk would be scared off a kill by a magpie, but then when I went to inspect the area there were just feathers so I presume he had either finished or took it with him. Will keep an eye out for him, kind of proud he chose my garden to have a snack.
Would be interesting to keep tabs on the population. I'm in the Walkinstown area of Dublin, to the OP, where did you see yours? Where else has there been sightings?

Arpa wrote: »

Just saw one down the back of my garden. Wasn't sure what it was at first because I've never seen one before. It had bright plumage on it's front and really stark orange rings around it's eyes. Thought it was just a weird bird plucking worms until I got the binoculars and saw it was plucking a pigeon and munching away. Was pretty cool, beautiful looking bird. Nice to know he's in the area. I presume it's a he because I read somewhere the female doesn't leave the nest around this time of year. Unforunately, a bloody magpie dropped in to see what was going on and kind of scared it away a few feet. The sparrow hawk retired to a wall, while the magpie hopped over to look at the carcass. It was comical as the magpie almost looked like it had just realised it was a dead bird, then looked back at the sparrow hawk, then back to the kill and decided to feck off. Didn't think a sparrow hawk would be scared off a kill by a magpie, but then when I went to inspect the area there were just feathers so I presume he had either finished or took it with him. Will keep an eye out for him, kind of proud he chose my garden to have a snack.
Would be interesting to keep tabs on the population. I'm in the Walkinstown area of Dublin, to the OP, where did you see yours? Where else has there been sightings?

Not like a sprawk to be seen off by a single magpie. The female sprawk nesting near me has killed magpie and some of the other corvids here. She is a fab bird to watch and is a bit bigger than average, making her stand out a bit.

Feral pigeons and woodpigeons are her normal prey here, but she gets a fair share of jackdaws, starlings and collared doves too.

Even her male, despite his much smaller frame when compared to the female, will stand his ground with his catch when the local magpies try to mob him.

Judgement Day wrote: »

My encounter was in urban Enniscorthy and, while not an uncommon bird, it is unusual to get close to them at a kill.

I have been close to a good number of kills over the years and the male is prone to the odd game of hide and seek with me when he is trying to stay in the garden when I am out there. I have literally gotten to within a couple of feet of him, with him staying perfectly still in the hedge. Other times I have come across him by accident and when that happens I don't know who gets the biggest shock, as he tears out of the hedge or tree and tries to avoid me when I have unwittingly come too close.:D


I have also woken up one morning to the pleasant sight of him plucking a kill on my bedroom windowsill.

Even on days when I see no kills, I normally see one or both of them as the nest is in a tree behind my house, so their comings and goings are a regular sight.


Whilst the sight of a fresh kill may seem gruesome to some, the best way to look at regular visits or sightings of sparrowhawks is that it is a sign of a thriving bird population in that area.

Kess73 wrote: »

Not like a sprawk to be seen off by a single magpie. The female sprawk nesting near me has killed magpie and some of the other corvids here. She is a fab bird to watch and is a bit bigger than average, making her stand out a bit.

Feral pigeons and woodpigeons are her normal prey here, but she gets a fair share of jackdaws, starlings and collared doves too.

Even her male, despite his much smaller frame when compared to the female, will stand his ground with his catch when the local magpies try to mob him.

Yeah that's what I figured. I presume he/she...don't have a clue really...was already finished and full up so decided just to back away. There is literally nothing left on the kill spot on my lawn only feathers. I was literally stunned watching it. Something inherently cool about a bird like that. It's shape was so menacing compared to the other birds I see around the garden. Is there any way to attract it back? I mean there's loads of birds in my garden a good few nests. Robins, sparrows, blackbirds, wood pigeon and collared dove. Would like to try get some footage next time, he was pretty feckin cool looking.

Kess73 wrote: »

If there is a steady supply of prey in your area, then the hawk will return. Chances are that the hawk has been many times without you spotting it at all.

As for telling the diff between he and she.

Here is the current male. He came in through an open house window before whilst chasing a smaller bird. Let's just say that getting him out of a kitchen unharmed was quite a job.:D At close quarters they are fierce fighters. You can clearly see his colour around the face and the grey on his wings/back in the pics though.

Wouldn't have liked to be in the kitchen with that bloke. It was definately a male that I saw in that case. The orange colour around the neck. Plus there were no really defined brown stripes on the breast like the female.
Yeah he probably has been loads of times, but whenever I'm home I'm usually in the kitchen which overlooks the garden, bird heaven, so I'm hoping he'll come again. When I said about attracting them back I did a bit of googling. I was thinking like a bigger water table or something, but then I see people have meat baits set out which is really not on. Plus the meat can be poisoned, didn't think this kind of crap went on in Ireland. Well Mr or Mrs Sparrow Hawk are welcome to hunt here when they please, as long as they don't disturb my summer barbies. Cheers kess.