What does the adult male sparrowhawk look like?
Q: What does the adult male sparrowhawk look like?
A: The adult male sparrowhawk has a blue-grey back and wings, with thin orange stripes on its chest and belly.
Q: How big is the size difference between male and female sparrowhawks?
A: The female is up to 25% larger than the male, which is one of the biggest size differences in any bird species.
Q: What type of birds do they eat?
A: Male sparrowhawks eat smaller birds like tits, finches and sparrows while females eat bigger birds like thrushes and starlings. They can kill birds weighing more than 500 grams (18 oz).
Q: Where are they found?
A: Sparrowhawks are seen in Europe, parts of Asia and parts of Africa. Birds that breed in the north migrate south for winter while those living further south stay there or fly shorter distances.
Q: How do they build their nests?
A: Sparrowhawks build a nest in woodland made from twigs which can be up to 60 cm (2 ft) wide. The female lays four or five eggs with pale blue shells.
Q: How long does it take for chicks to hatch from eggs laid by a female sparrowhawk?
A: Chicks hatch after 33 days and leave the nest after another 24 to 28 days.
Q: Why did their population decrease in Europe during 1950s? A: Their population decreased due to pesticides used on seeds before planting that were eaten by small birds which were then eaten by sparrowhawks, resulting in increased amount of chemicals in food chain affecting them negatively - some were poisoned while others laid eggs with shells too thin that broke before hatching chicks.
