Urban sparrowhawks thriving thanks to fine dining options

Sparrowhawks living in town and cities are faring better than their country-dwelling counterparts, according to pioneering new research.

Scientists from the Scottish Raptor Study Group and RSPB Scotland examined differences between populations of the birds in Edinburgh and in the Ayrshire countryside between 2009 and 2012.

They found that territories in the urban environment were occupied far more frequently than those in the rural study area and that city hawks were significantly more successful breeders than their countryside equivalents.

The experts believe the birds of prey, which eat songbirds such as sparrows, robins and blackbirds, are thriving in cities due to a greater availability of food in gardens and parks.

Study leader Michael Thornton,amemberofthelothian& Borders Raptor Study Group, said: “This study clearly shows that urban green spaces, such as parks, gardens and golf courses, provide both suitable nest sites and an abundance of prey species to support high breeding success in this charismatic predator, and it is important that we protect these areas for urban wildlife and for our own health and well-being.”

Staffan Roos, senior conservation scientist with RSPB Scotland and coauthor, said: “Gardens and parks hold large numbers of songbirds, which these raptors feed on, and the structure of urban landscapes in Edinburgh and other European cities, with parks and woodlands right next to private gardens, provides an ideal hunting environment for sparrowhawks.”

The UK sparrowhawk population is estimated to be around 35,000 pairs, with 12,000 in Scotland.