Eurasian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

Features

The Eurasian sparrowhawk is a bird of prey from the family of hawks.

Species	Bird
Living space	Conifer forest
Size	29 - 41 cm
Weight	220 g

Description

The Eurasian sparrowhawk is a small bird of prey with a long tail and rounded wings. In flight it quickly waves its wings and then easily slides between trees and bushes. It only rises above treetops during mating, when the male courts the female. The female is always larger than the male and grows from 35 – 41 cm, and has a wingspan of 67 – 80 cm (the male grows from 28 – 38 cm). The male is blue above and orange below, while the female is brown above and white below. The Eurasian sparrowhawk primarily lives in conifer forests, which are interrupted by open landscapes, and it rarely lives in mixed, and almost never in completely leafy forests. It mainly feeds on small birds to the size of a blackbird or partridge, as well asmice and only rarely bats. Its most common prey is the sparrow, from which its name originates in English-speaking countries (sparrowhawk).