Sparrowhawk Pops in for a Wash and Brush Up
On September 8th, 2013, this juvenile Sparrowhawk sat preening and cleaning itself on a back fence in a village garden—it appeared to have recently bathed, perhaps in the garden pond.
2013-09-08•wildlifebirds2013
An Alert Visitor
Juvenile Sparrowhawk, September 8th, 2013
Photo Tony Foster
The bird remained alert and only stayed for 3 or 4 minutes. Coincidentally, all the other garden birds disappeared whilst this youngster was around—can't think why!
Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) are small raptors perfectly adapted for hunting small birds in suburban gardens and hedgerows. The juvenile plumage is brown above with pale underparts barred with brown, making it less conspicuous than the blue-grey adult males.