A lot of our customers and friends have been reporting regular Sparrow Hawk activity in the garden. Although it can be upsetting to see your cherished garden birds becoming prey for a hungry Sparrow Hawk, it does tend to illustrate a healthy local ecosystem and raptors were under such pressure in the latter half of the 2oth Century they could do with a break!
If however you are loosing one or more birds a day from your feeding station, you can take action to provide them with a fighting chance. Firstly consider repositioning your feeding station closer to cover to provide an escape route. Secondly, study the direction of the Sparrow Hawk attack path and place some 6ft garden canes in such a way to interfere with its approach close to the feeding station or bird table. The objective is to provide your birds with an extra half second or so to escape which can make all the difference.
Here is a picture of a Sparrow Hawk in our garden. The caged feeders we use to keep out the Jackdaws and Crows serves a second purpose of providing some protection to the feeding birds.It makes for a dramatic sight, but what an impressive bird they are!
Jonathan,
May 9th
