Life and death of a glamorous predator

A NOTE from the British Trust for Ornithology (the ‘BTO’) says that a sparrowhawk, ringed by me, has been found in Malahide.

The find is a bit of a surprise. Even catching a hawk is a special event, let alone getting a ring back. In 25 years of ringing I have handled only half a dozen sparrowhawks.

They are caught very rarely, usually as a result of their Pearl Harbour-style hunting technique, a sudden surprise attack from the air. A hawk will perch in a tree, or wheel about high in the air watching for small birds in bushes or on the ground. Spotting a potential victim, the hawk drops down almost to ground level.