I'm part of a Friends group that looks after a small, but richly biodiverse Local Nature Reserve in Colne, Lancs. We did our Big" garden" Bird watch here taking a West end and an East end. We were delighted, but also a bit wary, when we saw a pair of Sparrowhawks. We know at least one and a Kestrel have been seen in the past. But a pair suggests breeding. So we are a bit concerned for our smaller birds.We were also delighted to see pairs of Bull Finches.
Yes they will take birds, but that's what sparrow hawks do and all part of 'nature'. It's red in tooth and claw.
This is true. I have two photographs in my hall way. One is of a juvenile sparrow, not long out of the nest. Fluffy feathers and still with the remnants of the beak it was hatched with. Right next to it is a photograph of a Sparrow Hawk having its lunch with a sparrow. Both photographs were taken within feet of each other.
Fortunately the sparrow hawk doesn't appear very often. I think the sparrows have the measure of it, swooping on the feeder a dozen at a time even though only three of them can feed. Confuses the sparrow hawk as to which one to go for with so many to chose from.
Stuart