Eurasian Sparrowhawk: The Complete Guide

Identifying the Eurasian Sparrowhawk: Key Criteria

The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is a small raptor characterized by pronounced sexual dimorphism, with the female being distinctly larger than the male.

• Size: Males measure from 27 to 34 cm; females from 35 to 41 cm.
• Weight: Males weigh from 110 to 200 g; females from 185 to 350 g, sometimes up to 380 g.
• Wingspan: Males have a wingspan of 58 to 65 cm; females from 65 to 80 cm.
• Flight Speed: Its flight is rapid and jerky, alternating brisk beats and short glides. It can zigzag at high speed between obstacles.

Plumage: The adult male has slate blue-grey upperparts (sometimes slightly bluish), and white underparts finely barred with rufous, with rufous cheeks. The adult female is grey-brown on the upperparts and her underparts are barred dark brown on a whitish background, with a distinct pale supercilium.

Sexual Dimorphism: The female is significantly larger and heavier than the male, potentially weighing up to twice his weight, which is one of the largest sexual size differences among birds. Its irises are yellow-orange or red-orange in the male, yellower in the female.

Juveniles: Young sparrowhawks resemble the female but have browner and duller plumage on the upperparts. Their underparts are more broadly and irregularly barred brown, often with tawny fringes on the back feathers.

Beak and Legs: It possesses a hooked, robust, and relatively small bill for a raptor, bluish at the base and black at the tip, with a yellow cere. Its legs are long, slender, and yellow (or tinged with orange), ending in powerful talons with long, thin toes, perfectly adapted for catching birds.

Scientific Dimensions and Records

The Call: High-pitched and Discreet

The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is generally a discreet and silent bird outside the breeding season. Its vocalizations become more audible and frequent in spring, near the nest.

Its calls are varied and are often described as rapid, high-pitched series of "kiou kiou kiou" or "kikikikiki". The rhythm and intensity of these calls can vary depending on the context: courtship displays, alarm calls to signal a threat, or to announce return to the nest with food. The female may emit a plaintive begging call.

Behavior: The Silent Hunter

The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is a solitary and territorial predator, especially outside the breeding season. It is monogamous and pairs may remain united for several seasons.

Its hunting technique relies on surprise and agility. It often flies at low altitude, using the cover of trees, bushes, or even buildings to conceal its approach before suddenly swooping down on its prey. It can also hunt from ambush, perched discreetly on a branch. Once its prey is caught, it carries it to cover to pluck and consume it.

Its diet is highly specialized and consists almost exclusively of small and medium-sized birds, particularly passerines such as sparrows, tits, finches, thrushes, and starlings. The larger female is capable of catching more substantial prey such as pigeons or doves. In winter or during lean periods, it may supplement its diet with small mammals (mice, voles) or insects.

Reproduction begins in spring with courtship displays consisting of undulating flights, ascents, and rapid dives. The eyrie (nest) is built by both parents, often in a dense conifer, between 4 and 12 meters high, close to the trunk or a fork. The female typically lays 3 to 6 eggs, incubated mainly by her for 33 to 36 days. The male provides food during incubation and the first few days of the chicks' lives. Young eaglets leave the nest after approximately 24 to 30 days, but remain dependent on their parents for food for another 1 to 3 months before becoming fully independent in August.

Habitat and Distribution

The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is a Holarctic species, widely distributed in temperate and subtropical regions of the Old World, covering Europe and Asia up to Japan, as well as parts of North Africa.

It is very adaptable and can be found in a wide variety of habitats, from coniferous or mixed forests to thickets, as well as parks, gardens, and even urban and suburban areas. It prefers environments where open spaces and woodlands alternate, offering it both hunting grounds and cover. Dense forests are generally avoided in favor of forest edges and clearings.

Populations in the north of its range are migratory and move south for the winter (e.g., to southwestern Europe and North Africa). More southern populations are resident or only make dispersal movements.

Distribution Map

Conservation Status

The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is classified as "Least Concern" (LC) on the IUCN Red List. This classification is due to its extremely vast range and a global population considered stable and numerous.

Historically, the species experienced significant declines in the 1950s and 1960s in Europe, mainly due to the intensive use of organochlorine pesticides like DDT, which affected its reproduction. However, since the ban of these products in the 1970s and the implementation of protection measures, populations have shown a gradual recovery and expansion.

Despite this favorable status, the Eurasian Sparrowhawk still faces certain threats related to human activities. These include the scarcity of its prey due to biodiversity reduction, habitat destruction and degradation, collisions with vehicles, windows, and power lines.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

References

1. BirdLife International - Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
2. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - Accipiter nisus
3. Wikipedia - Eurasian Sparrowhawk