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Sparrowhawk decimates bird population

I fully sympathise with anyone who suffers from sparrowhawks. I get very angry at the comment that it is an indication of a "healthy bird population." Up until about 2 months ago we would see a sparrowhawk briefly about once a month.  I do not deny that it is an impressive sight.  However, the sparrowhawk then started visiting on a daily basis, on some days up to 5 times. We used to be the envy of our friends and neighbours as our garden was a haven for all types of birds.  At times we would have up to 30 birds feeding in the garden, gold finches, blue tits, great tits, green finches, wrens, robins, willow tits, blackbirds, thrushes, and so the list goes on. I used to spend at least £30 a month on bird food. However, once the sparrowhawk made his regular "food collection" visits to our garden, the bird population was decimated.  We have lived in our house for 28 years and this is the first time that we have not had a "healthy bird population". It would be truer to say that the constant presence of a sparrowhawk is a signal that the local bird population is about to be wiped out. We haven't seen a sparrowhawk for over a week now.  But then that is not surprising because there are no birds! Can't remember when I last bought bird food. What an extremely sad situation.
  • Hi

    I have a sparrow hawk hunting in my garden on a regular basis - have a healthy sparrow population as well as a good sprinkling of various other species of garden birds and drop in's e.g. goldfinch, tits. You haven't provided the natural cover attributes of your garden - maybe the lack of cover has meant that your regular visitors have scarpered due to the threat in the short term. As sparrow hawks are opportunists so are all bird species when looking out for a meal. Both will be back and be rest assured your garden will be thriving once again - both need to eat to survive. Think of ways you can introduce cover or put in a tall structure such as a garden wooden post - by observing the behaviour of my sparrow population I have noticed that whilst some are using the feeder others are keeping watch for the sparrow group.