Oh noooooo.... Of all the birds to crash into my window........

TopTec

It had to be one of my local Sparrowhawks.......






I was sitting in my sunroom at 7am when there was an almighty bang and on the ground by the glass door was this poor fellow. He/she was flying low to have a grab at the birds on my bird table but alas didn't spot the glass. He/she must of been doing some speed as death was instant. I have been watching this and the mate for a year or more and have pictures of them bathing in a local stream. Beautiful bird. I am so sad....

What makes it worse is I saw the Mate over the forestry this dinnertime. :-(

TT

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I know the feeling. A friend asked me to call in last week because "some bird" hit his window. Sadly, it too was a sparrowhawk.

Hondo75

Google how to avoid this happening ..I think you can stick an outline of birds to your window

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Hondo75 wrote: »

Google how to avoid this happening ..I think you can stick an outline of birds to your window

Doesn't work. Copious research has failed to find a definitive solution.

TopTec

The door the bird hit is actually a triple glazed one which has sticky plastic coloured flowers on it to stop my Granddaughter walking into it.

I have so many bird strikes I am considering putting a net across but then there is the problem of entanglement... can't win either way.

TT

philstar

put something reflective on the window,

had several strikes on my greenhouse but used these and the strikes have reduced considerably

friedcircuits

OP what did you do with the hawk?

TopTec

I might have buried it but am not sure.... May I ask why?

TT

savagethegoat

not big enough to serve up on xmas day

TopTec

By coincidence I got this on my Twitter feed from the RSPB today.....

"Help stop birds striking windows"

https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/givenatureahomeinyourgarden/gardenactivities/helpstopbirdsstrikingwindows/

TT

Avatar MIA

TopTec wrote: »

By coincidence I got this on my Twitter feed from the RSPB today.....

"Help stop birds striking windows"

https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/givenatureahomeinyourgarden/gardenactivities/helpstopbirdsstrikingwindows/

TT

I've read the article in the above website and still fail to see how a bird silhouette is going to be a deterrent. If anything doesn't it suggest birds are already flying through there?

But, send them on £5 to save a life...

TopTec

That did occur to me but i suppose if the silhouettes were of raptors then that would drive the little fellas in te opposite direction? Would be more fun to make your own I suppose.

TT

Avatar MIA

TopTec wrote: »

That did occur to me but i suppose if the silhouettes were of raptors then that would drive the little fellas in te opposite direction? Would be more fun to make your own I suppose.

TT

Yeah, if birds of prey then possibly deter other birds. What bird of prey does the sparrowhawk inherently fear?

friedcircuits

TopTec wrote: »

I might have buried it but am not sure.... May I ask why?

TT

Just wondering why not send it to a taxidermist? No big deal sorry just curious.

TopTec

No worries. I find taxidermy a bit odd actually... all those bodies staring at you. When I was young I remember a woman who had her Minah bird stuffed and mounted.... bit scary actually.

TT

keps

Had about 12 different species of birds in the Garden today- the Blackbirds tirelessly foraging - mostly the others went for the easy option of the feeders.
There was a bit of bickering- but none of them tried to KILL another bird.

Not too sure why the killers are held in such high esteem?

Avatar MIA

keps wrote: »

Not too sure why the killers are held in such high esteem?

What is rare is wonderful

keps

There is a sparrowhawk in the vicinity

Not so long ago it drove a pigeon into my hawthorn hedge- but it could not get it out it drove in in so fast/far. I buried the pigeon.


Three days ago i found a circle of collared dove feathers in the garden - I'm sure it was the Sparrowhawk again.


Collared doves also have mates.

Avatar MIA

keps wrote: »

Collared doves also have mates.

'It's the circle... the circle of life.

keps

Strangely( or not) enough, of course, if you asked me which would I prefer to see in the garden tomorrow

(1) A collared Dove or
(2) a Sparrowhawk

I would 100% go for (2)

magicbastarder

keps wrote: »

Not too sure why the killers are held in such high esteem?

the smaller birds eat other animals too, though?

keps

magicbastarder wrote: »

the smaller birds eat other animals too, though?

True - had a few glasses of wine last night and my comments were flawed

Desmo

Sparrowhawks are pretty ferocious and it can be grim when they are in the process of eating something still alive. They are part of the balance though and pretty important in the overall picture. On reason we have so many mesopredators (like magpies) is the lack of predators to control them.

dodderangler

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Yeah, if birds of prey then possibly deter other birds. What bird of prey does the sparrowhawk inherently fear?

I know in some parts of Europe accipters aka sparrowhawks and goshawks are often preyed upon by great grey owls

mikka631

keps wrote: »

Had about 12 different species of birds in the Garden today- the Blackbirds tirelessly foraging - mostly the others went for the easy option of the feeders.
There was a bit of bickering- but none of them tried to KILL another bird.

Great Tit attacking and killing a Sparrow:eek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smuyWYtH-hY

Jayzesake

mikka631 wrote: »

Great Tit attacking and killing a Sparrow:eek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smuyWYtH-hY

Interesting stuff. Presumably that's how a species can start down the evolutionary road to becoming a predator/carnivore.

savagethegoat

keps wrote: »

Had about 12 different species of birds in the Garden today- the Blackbirds tirelessly foraging - mostly the others went for the easy option of the feeders.
There was a bit of bickering- but none of them tried to KILL another bird.

Not too sure why the killers are held in such high esteem?

That's the food chain and never forget we are right at the top killing millions of creatures a day.

cd07

I've also seen videos of great tits not only killing but eating redpolls