Dealing With Sparrowhawks

Dealing With Sparrowhawks

by Francesca Sharpe

These pesky creatures can be quite the annoyance for any homeowner hoping to attract a good number of garden birds. They're not particularly large for a bird of prey, but this means they're evolutionarily trained for hunting birds in confined spaces. They traditionally seek out their prey in dense woodlands, and the closed in nature of modern garden makes them an ideal hunting ground for sparrowhawks seeking a quick and easy meal, especially with the huge number of birds hanging around.

If they attack you'll not only have to deal with losing a regular visitor, but other birds will likely move on to another garden, at least until the sparrowhawk sees fit to change its hunting ground once more. Being able to deter them is a useful skill, so it's worth taking a look at just how you can manage to keep them away.

(More) Confined Spaces

So sparrowhawks enjoy confined spaces? Then you'll give them confined spaces! They may be effective at swooping in to attack within a small area, but they still need line of site and a certain degree of room. If you're looking to protect birds from their approach then consider placing small feeders within the branches of your actual trees, if you have any.

The smaller birds will still be able to feed from them happily enough. Birds of prey will be shut off by the canopy, and can't effectively swoop through leaves. This does leave your feeders vulnerable to squirrels, but a quick dab of chilli powder will keep those nuisances away.

Bring a Bigger Bird

Now, sparrowhawks aren't particularly fazed by the presence of a human, but they can't stand being around larger birds. If you don't mind their presence, consider luring some crows or seagulls over. They'll often circle your property, and the sparrowhawks will be certain to keep their distance.

These birds are ground feeders, so leave some kind of larger food on your roof for maximum visibility. Peanuts are a good choice, but other birds may pick up a few themselves. Once they're there though, they'll actually be protecting the smaller birds in your garden, and don't even share a food supply.

But Don't Jump to Conclusions

We may be discussing how to get rid of sparrowhawks here, but it's important to remember they're not necessarily a menace. If you're attracting their entire food supply to your garden it's fairly logical they'll still want to eat. They're actually quite majestic, and their 'rollercoaster' mating ritual can make for an exciting sight if you don't mind their eating habits.