I received a call from someone wanting identification of a brown bird eating a meal on their lawn. Expecting to be sent a photo of a female backbird or possibly a young starling or thrush, I was surprised to see a sparrowhawk tucking into a pigeon!

I have included the picture in this report, as it is simply nature taking place. Usually, if undisturbed the prey will be fully consumed and the predator then fed up for a day or two - thus saving the lives of others.

Very occasionally they will take a healthy bird, but this is not the norm, and they usually prey on the weak and elderly victims, thus keeping nature in balance and removing those most likely to spread disease within the flock. If the prey does escape, it rarely survives without medical support, as the wounds upon its back and neck are prone to infection.

If the sparrowhawk is starving, it may attack a young magpie or crow in desparation, but that is rare as should they become injured in the attack, then without flight and those special talons, it will be the sparrowhawk which starves to death as it needs to eat at least five times a week.

Nigel