What they like

Peace and cover. Think: dense hedges, shelterbelts, conifers, ivy on sheds, a messy corner with branches. And above all: spots where lots of small birds hang out. Turn your garden into a little park. Leave scrub, prune in stages — not everything neat at once.

Ecological importance

The sparrowhawk is the fast police of the sky. He mainly hunts small songbirds like sparrows, finches and tits. That keeps the system sharp: weak individuals drop out, strong populations remain. He themself is also on the menu of larger birds of prey, and young sparrowhawks are vulnerable.

When in the Netherlands

All year round. In the breeding season (spring–summer) he’s extra territorial and often seen as a low, lightning-fast flash along hedges and fences.

Status

Common to fairly common as a breeding bird, but sensitive to disturbance and to landscapes without cover. In open, bare agricultural areas they does less well.