Eurasian sparrowhawk / Sperber (Accipiter nisus)

Sperber am Luppmen nicht weit vom Bahnhof 2021-02-06 10.49.12 Luppmen
Classification: Genus Accipiter; Subfamily True hawks (Accipitrinae); Family Accipitridae
General: The Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), also known as the northern sparrowhawk or simply the sparrowhawk, 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 greatest size 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 g (18 oz) or more. [more]
Vocalization: Series of short "ke-ke-ke-ke-ke", with rising pitch. [Link]
Song: Meist in Horstnähe zu hören. Eine Reihe von kurzen Einzellauten, [Link]
Calls: wie „gigigi“. Ähnlichkeit mit Wendehals, aber klarer und schneller. Schneller auch als Grünspecht und tiefer als Turmfalke. [Link]
Less resonant and less full than similar call of Goshawk, and much faster. Also a short "peeaaaa", shorter and more squeaky than Buzzard. [Link]
Physical details: length=28-38 cm, wingspan=55-70 cm, weight=110-342 g
Habitats: Agricultural

Call: Automatically generated from Xeno-Canto recording

♫ XC818384 - Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus - call, Brandenburg, Germany. Source: XENOCANTO XC818384 - Eurasian Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus - call, Brandenburg, Germany.mp3 Germany (call)


Call attributes: Frequency: ,
First documented observation : 2021-02-06 in Fehraltorf.