True Hawks - Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Shikra, Chilean Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter, Crested Goshawk (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 25. Chapters: Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Shikra, Chilean Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter, Crested Goshawk, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Plucking post, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Levant Sparrowhawk, Besra, Long-tailed Hawk, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Japanese Sparrowhawk. Excerpt: The Eurasian (or Northern) Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Adult male Eurasian Sparrowhawks have bluish grey upperparts and orange-barred underparts; females and juveniles are brown above with brown barring below. The female is up to 25% larger than the male - one of the largest differences between the sexes in any bird species. Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian Sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 grams (18 oz) or more. The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian Sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days. The proportion of juveniles surviving their first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that...