WE had a plethora of advice a few days ago on birds that may be shot, in the interests, we are officially told, of better farming: rooks, magpies, hooded (grey) crows, jackdaws, woodpigeons, and other pigeons in certain circumstances. Now we often hear that people who enjoy feeding garden birds, are similarly aggressively minded about the magpie, and more recently the sparrowhawk. What's next for shooting?
A writer in the English Field complains that each year, when feeding songbirds on bird tables, he sees their number decreasing as the winter progresses. This, he alleges, is "entirely due to the presence of sparrowhawks which are most inappropriately named. These birds tend to go for the brightly coloured songbirds such as the tit family, robins and siskins, with the sparrow featuring low on their menu". The writer says he knows people who have given up feeding birds during the winter, as they say it only encourages sparrowhawks and reduces the songbirds even more than if they had not been feeding them. The conclusion: remove the protected status of the sparrowhawk.
Our own bird correspondent has the same problem.
Three high trees give a splendid view to the hawks of her bird feeders on both sides of her house. She has seen attacks. Her simple answer to move the feeders deeper into the comparative shelter of the hawthorns from which they hang. Second, where there is a bird table, to rig a sheet, about three feet square, of chicken wire on the side from which the sparrowhawk has to swoop, which gives first class protection.
Using two canes, if necessary, so as to hold the screen. There may be some casualties as birds go towards the feeders, but the numbers have kept up. The birds work for you, eating all sorts of creeping things. Look after them. Forget killing the sparrowhawks.