Has a sparrowhawk killed our blackbirds?

[Globalti]

Any bird experts on here?

A pair of blackbirds (we assume male because both black) have been frolicking around our garden for the last few weeks, quite small in size so possibly a pair of juvenile males fighting for territory? They've been mucking around, yelling a bit then fluttering up about 10 feet into the air together in a sort of mock fight.

Couple of days ago we both saw a sparrowhawk (or possibly a cuckoo?) in the bushes, I saw it wiping its beak on a branch as if it had just had dinner. Right underneath that spot are the remains of a pigeon. Now the blackbirds have disappeared.

If it was a sparrowhawk and not a cuckoo, could it have scoffed the blackbirds or frightened them off the territory? They were defintely not the married couple we've had in previous years.

Worried now.

 

[Monsieur]

Could be. Maybe a little early for a cuckoo?
Could also have been a local cat.

 

[gds58]

Blackbirds are the perfect sized prey for a Sparrowhawk so it's entirely possible that it has either had the juvenile males for lunch or it has certainly sent them away. I'd be surprised if it had taken out a pidgeon as they are most probably a bit bigger than the Sparrowhawk unless maybe it caught it unawares whilst it was a bit dozy on the ground!

 

[ufkacbln]

We had a pair of Sparrows nesting in a hedge in our garden

My wife had "adopted" them, and used to spend hours watching.

Then one afternoon we were sitting having supper in the garden when a small Kestrel dived in, took the female mid flight and then sat on top of our shed dining.

My wife did not finish her super!

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Any bird experts on here?

A pair of blackbirds (we assume male because both black) have been frolicking around our garden for the last few weeks, quite small in size so possibly a pair of juvenile males fighting for territory? They've been mucking around, yelling a bit then fluttering up about 10 feet into the air together in a sort of mock fight.

Couple of days ago we both saw a sparrowhawk (or possibly a cuckoo?) in the bushes, I saw it wiping its beak on a branch as if it had just had dinner. Right underneath that spot are the remains of a pigeon. Now the blackbirds have disappeared.

If it was a sparrowhawk and not a cuckoo, could it have scoffed the blackbirds or frightened them off the territory? They were defintely not the married couple we've had in previous years.

Worried now.

At this time of year, all blackbirds are adults - they grow pretty quickly, and all those that survive the winter are adults. If a sparrowhawk had killed the blackbirds, then there would be the charateristic signs of of a kill - scattered feathers. The likelihood is that the sparring male blackbirds have moved on, or (and this is more likely) been knocked off by a cat.

 

[Noodley]

You'll probably never know for certain...all the options are possibilities.

 

[vernon]

Blackbirds are the perfect sized prey for a Sparrowhawk so it's entirely possible that it has either had the juvenile males for lunch or it has certainly sent them away. I'd be surprised if it had taken out a pidgeon as they are most probably a bit bigger than the Sparrowhawk unless maybe it caught it unawares whilst it was a bit dozy on the ground!

Two pigeons have been taken out by a sparrow hawk - one in next door's gard and one in our garden. I saw the strike in our garden - very impressive - fgeathers all over the place. The pigeon didn't stand a chance. I suspect there was a second unsuccesful strike in our garden as there was a sparrow hawk shaped ghost on our kitchen window. I didn't have the nous to photograph it. It was before the owl shadows made an appearance in the media.

 

[lukesdad]

We saw a falcon take 2 of our doves on consecutive days a couple of years ago.

 

[gds58]

Two pigeons have been taken out by a sparrow hawk - one in next door's gard and one in our garden. I saw the strike in our garden - very impressive - fgeathers all over the place. The pigeon didn't stand a chance. I suspect there was a second unsuccesful strike in our garden as there was a sparrow hawk shaped ghost on our kitchen window. I didn't have the nous to photograph it. It was before the owl shadows made an appearance in the media.

Wow, sounds amazing!! Sparrowhawks are the most incredible acrobats. I've watched them whilst I've been fishing and they can twist and turn like a jet fighter and I've even seen them hand over a 'kill' mid flight to their partner. Absolutely beautiful birds to watch. In a way you are very lucky to have the opportunity to watch them in action so close to home, I am slightly envious!!

 

[Camrider]

I'd be surprised if it had taken out a pidgeon as they are most probably a bit bigger than the Sparrowhawk.

Female Sparrowhawks (which are consideraly bigger than males) tend to go for bigger pray, and pigeons and doves are are top of their shopping list. They don't have to carry them off, just feed on the kill site (they do move the remnants when fully fed so they can come back to it later.

 

[Glow worm]

Sparrowhawks are fantastic birds and we're lucky enough here to have one dive in around the bird feeders every now and then for a blue tit flavoured snack or two! As said above, the cuckoos won't be back quite yet.

Last summer the British Trust for Ornitholigy folks put some mini satellite tracking things on some cuckoos in Norfolk and have been tracking them since. The birds made their way to central Africa last Autumn and are now on their way 'home'. One of the cuckoos ('Martin') crossed the Mediterranean yesterday from Algeria, having flown over the Sahara desert, and reached Spain.You can follow the cuckoo's progress here.

 

[Gareth]

Although a Sparrowhawk will take the blackbirds, the domestic moggy is more likely to be a candidate for scaring them out of a territory in an urban setting.

Having said all that heres what happened in our garden 11 months ago: http://overthegate.myfreeforum.org/about23504.

 

[ufkacbln]

Cats can also be ambitious!

We used to have two and they thought nothing of stalking the much larger Heron standing by the pond!

 

[asterix]

Sparrowhawks are fantastic birds and we're lucky enough here to have one dive in around the bird feeders every now and then for a blue tit flavoured snack or two! As said above, the cuckoos won't be back quite yet.

Last summer the British Trust for Ornitholigy folks put some mini satellite tracking things on some cuckoos in Norfolk and have been tracking them since. The birds made their way to central Africa last Autumn and are now on their way 'home'. One of the cuckoos ('Martin') crossed the Mediterranean yesterday from Algeria, having flown over the Sahara desert, and reached Spain.You can follow the cuckoo's progress here.

That does surprise me. There are cuckoos in this valley (a little south of Limoges) and I heard the first nearly a month ago. It's voice was a bit rusty but definitely a cuckoo and they have been going strong ever since. Yesterday I saw one for the first time this year. Presumably the French Cuckoos are seriously lazy birds who can't be bothered to fly as far as Norfolk.

No Sparrowhawks round here, just very impressive Buzzards (no, they don't attack cyclists!)

 

[ohnovino]

If there's no sign of a fight I'd guess they've either been spooked, or they've gone off in search of females.

When Sparrowhawks have caught something in our garden they've always left one hell of a mess behind. I saw one catch, pluck and eat a woodpigeon once, leaving a trail of feathers as it dragged the corpse around the garden.