Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Where is it found?
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Woodland, scrub forests and urban areas
Diet and foraging method
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Sparrowhawks use advanced hunting tactics for catching small-medium sized birds, such as surprise attacks and sudden changes in direction. Unfortunately, due to this hunting method, Sparrowhawks often fly into windows with sometimes fatal consequences.
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Key adaptations
Feet adapted for gripping prey, such as sharp talons.
Small, sharp beak for plucking feathers out of small birds they have caught.
Long-tail, short wings, slim body and small head facilitate speed and manoeuvrability in the air.
Small, sharp beak for plucking feathers out of small birds they have caught.
Long-tail, short wings, slim body and small head facilitate speed and manoeuvrability in the air.
Social organisation and mating system
Solitary
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Males perform sky dances to attract females each breeding season. Males and females form socially monogamous pairs each season.
Did you know that...?
Sparrowhawks have plucking posts; they bring their catches to their favourite spot to pluck and eat.
Sparrowhawks flight stroke is flap-flap-glide, so look out for them in the sky!
Sparrowhawks flight stroke is flap-flap-glide, so look out for them in the sky!
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Accipiter nisus Meneer Zjeroen" by Meneer Zjeroen - http://www.flickr.com/photos/nuskyn/4028311597/. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Accipiter_nisus_Meneer_Zjeroen.jpg#/media/File:Accipiter_nisus_Meneer_Zjeroen.jpg
"Accipiter nisus -in flight-8-4c" by Accipiter_nisus_-in_flight-8.jpg: Christian Knoch.The original uploader was Stylearmada at German Wikipediaderivative work: Snowmanradio (talk) - originally posted to de.wikipedia and transferred to Commons by User:Snowmanradio using CommonsHelper and original version on commons at Accipiter_nisus_-in_flight-8.jpg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 de via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Accipiter_nisus_-in_flight-8-4c.jpg#/media/File:Accipiter_nisus_-in_flight-8-4c.jpg
"Accnis" by Pierre Dalous - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Accnis.jpg#/media/File:Accnis.jpg
"Accipiter nisus kill" by Eddy Van 3000 - Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/e3000/2570222219/. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Accipiter_nisus_kill.jpg#/media/File:Accipiter_nisus_kill.jpg
"Accipiter nisus 9194" by Bogbumper - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Accipiter_nisus_9194.JPG#/media/File:Accipiter_nisus_9194.JPG