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Sparrow Hawks.

R

Rabbiting on

Warren Scout
There has been a Sparrow Hawk in the area, it must live nearby because I first seen it at the start of September, and again yesterday.

It does not seem to be bothered by things- it landed on a fence about 1m high in full view. This was also a fence just by the road.

There are plenty of wild birds around, infact the first time I saw this bird it was carrying something in its feet.

Im just a bit worried as my rabbits are mostly out in my garden but if I go out I put them into their pen.

Would they come into my garden and attack the rabbits?

My cats are always hanging around but would this be a deterant for it?
 
They just have free range in the garden, its not a massive garden by the way. And a pen which their hutches are inside of it. This does have wire mesh over the top which also stops my cats from getting out.
 
I personally wouldn't risk having them free range if there was a predator around. It would only take two seconds for a bunny to fall victim to a bird. I would suggest maybe getting bigger runs for them, with lids, so you don't have that worry.
 
Rabbiting on said:
Would they come into my garden and attack the rabbits?
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They might come into your garden though it's unlikely they would attack the rabbits. Their main prey is small songbirds but they sometimes take small ground-dwelling critters as well. An adult sparrowhawk weighs 5oz - 11oz so they're not the heavy-lifters of the raptor world but might be able to take a baby, young or very small rabbit.

My cats are always hanging around but would this be a deterant for it?
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Probably.
 
i wouldnt risk it i think a bird of prey if hungry would easily take your buns. adn that a run with a lid on would be needed. you could have the mfree range when you in garden but not if you arent. as you should be a deterrent not sure your cats would though?
 
sparrow hawks.

I would certainly be careful (sure you are anyway) of your bunnies being out in the garden with Sparrow hawks around:shock::cry:
I used to let my buns free range in my garden before the foxes came:cry:they did have so much freedom but i would not risk it now:shock:
I have a heron hanging around and wasn't bothered about it until i saw the pics in the paper of one eating a bunny:shock:
Bunnies are prey animals and sparrow hawks will take them if they are hungry so personally i wouldn't risk it:cry:
 
If you have sparrow hawks you most likely have buzzards and other birds of prey, not to mention possibly foxes I'd never ever leave a rabbit unattended because its too late when something happens so unless you are going to sit out with them I wouldn't recommend letting them free roam!

BTW buzzards have been known to take small dogs too, including a toy poodle so what chance does a rabbit have if one happens to fly over your garden?:shock:
 
I think it is unlikely that a sparrow hawk would manage to lift a medium sized rabbit, but I'd be more concerned about the risk of the rabbits going into shock if the sparrow hawk attempted to lift them..the mere act of the bird swooping down towards them would be enough to terrfy them.
 
A bird of prey managed to lift my deps nethie and carried her for a short distance before thankfully dropping her....be careful xx
 
Beebop said:
If you have sparrow hawks you most likely have buzzards and other birds of prey, not to mention possibly foxes I'd never ever leave a rabbit unattended because its too late when something happens so unless you are going to sit out with them I wouldn't recommend letting them free roam!

BTW buzzards have been known to take small dogs too, including a toy poodle so what chance does a rabbit have if one happens to fly over your garden?:shock:
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If there were buzzards around there wouldn't be sparrowhawks around haha. Buzzards i'd be worried about but in my mothers garden we had a pair of sparrow hawks, the female always landed in our garden as we had many different birds visit and this was a brilliant opportunity for the sparrowhawk to make a kill. My bun used to hop about freely and i never saw any need to be worried. Sparrowhawks are like any other predator, a full grown rabbit is waaay too big (unless its a tiny bun) for a sparrowhawk and trying to kill a rabbit will most likely result in the sparrowhawk being injured.

Buzzards may fly over now and again but it's rare they visit gardens unless you live on the moors or out in the stix :) If you get buzzards near you then i wouldn't let your bun free roam but otherwise i would think it'd be ok :)

Herons.. i'm not sure about tbh. I wouldn't think they'd kill and eat a full grown rabbit but they would deffinately eat a baby rabbit as rats, voles and mice make up their diet when they can catch them.

hope this helps

xx
 
If your gardens very small then stringing string in s grid pattern over top eg fence post to fence post may pu off birds with bigger wing spans.

Tam
 
I had a sparrow hawk sat on my fence when Harry Bear was out in the garden (he is only tiny, mini lop) and I was standing next to Harry Bear but it still had his beady eyes so I would not risk it, You can buy Bird scaring tape that you tie onto your fence and as it flaps in the wind it makes a noise and reflects the light, im thinking of getting these as my neighbour feeds the birds which have caused us to get rats but they are also attracting big birds like that.
 
Be VERY careful. A cooper's hawk took my duckling back in May :cry:
Hawks are capable of picking up about 7 pounds (i dunno about sparrow hawks though). they've been known to even get cats and dogs.


i think herons only eat fish? we have herons here that come to our pond.
 
On Wednesday my hubby came in and saw a sparrow hawk eating a wood pigeon at the bottom of our garden.:cry: It was too late to try and save it. It fed on it for the next hour and when it went, hubby went down to clear anything away but there was nothing :shock:, no flesh, no bones, nothing.
 
William said:
Be VERY careful. A cooper's hawk took my duckling back in May :cry:
Hawks are capable of picking up about 7 pounds (i dunno about sparrow hawks though). they've been known to even get cats and dogs.


i think herons only eat fish? we have herons here that come to our pond.
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While out on our boat the other week we did see a heron fly off with a small bird in its mouth :shock: I thought they only ate fish too!!!
 
I have 6ft fence with cat proofing attached to the top, I think this may be why it has not been in my garden.

I live in a town so I dont think anything else bird wise would be a threat? There is also no chance a fox could get into the garden, its totally secure, if it was not my rabbits would not have free range.

My rabbits are quite big, too big for one bird to lift anyway, I think. Also there are no birds that come into my garden as one of my cats is a hunter and would kill as soon as it landed. He does leave the rabbits alone though now.

So with the obstical of getting in the garden, the cats and the fence, I dont think my Sparrow Hawk would bother us? I have lived here for 2 years and nothing so far, although I dont know how long Mr Sparrow Hawk has lived here.
 
Rabbiting on said:
I have 6ft fence with cat proofing attached to the top, I think this may be why it has not been in my garden.

I live in a town so I dont think anything else bird wise would be a threat? There is also no chance a fox could get into the garden, its totally secure, if it was not my rabbits would not have free range.

My rabbits are quite big, too big for one bird to lift anyway, I think. Also there are no birds that come into my garden as one of my cats is a hunter and would kill as soon as it landed. He does leave the rabbits alone though now.

So with the obstical of getting in the garden, the cats and the fence, I dont think my Sparrow Hawk would bother us? I have lived here for 2 years and nothing so far, although I dont know how long Mr Sparrow Hawk has lived here.
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a fox can dig under a fence and can easily climb a 6ft fence too.
 
Deanna said:
While out on our boat the other week we did see a heron fly off with a small bird in its mouth :shock: I thought they only ate fish too!!!
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Did you not see the horrible pics in the paper last week of a Heron picking up a rabbit, drowning it and then swallowing it whole? :(
 
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