Female Sparrowhawk.-This bird is a regular visitor to garden feeders,allotments,the nature reserve,anywhere there are birds to be found for a tasty meal.This bird of prey differs to the Kestrel in the way it hunts for it's prey.The Kestrel hovers high in the sky,then suddenly dives steeply towards the ground and its small prey(mice,voles etc.).The Sparrowhawk,flies very swiftly ,often low to the ground in its pursuit of small birds,or will suddenly pluck a Starling,Pigeon,Collared Dove etc,directly from a group of birds or from a perch.
Female Sparrowhawk.-Taken-Nov 2010