Sparrowhawk V Bats

[JonathanD]

Talking of bats (from Barn Owls thread). Last Friday I watched a Sparrowhawk hunting them at dusk. I was sat at the edge of the woods overlooking a field and watching the bats fipping around over me. The hawk was about 30cm/12 inches low to the ground and so close I could feel it and hear it pass me. It hugged and flew the treeline straight and fast just above the ground continually at this height then turned and flew back. Dead fast, dead dead fast like a dark stealth fighter. When it came to the bats above me it could obviously see them above it highlighted by the lighter sky, it then turned 90 degrees vertically and took one out. No messing. The bats were completely unaware of it against the dark ground and it was more than a match in aerobatic ability. I watched this for half an hour as it took six of them, each time returning to a bush beside me to eat its snack. By the last three it was really dark and still successful at hunting, although it started to miss more frequently. It was one of the greatest wildlife watching moments of my life,.... you know the ones - they sneak up on you unawares and happen two or three times in a lifetime, so epic, you find yourself holding your breath. It reminded me of how Great Whites hunt seals in Africa - from below, and fast.

Thought I had pictures, but sadly forgot the flash.

 

[jonnie drake]

I love dusk when the bats start to appear, that must have been incredible. Sometimes its better to not have pics at all

 

[British Red]

Didn't know they did that - fascinating stuff!

 

[Shewie]

Interesting, you'd have thought the bats could change direction quicker than a bird, just goes to show how agile Sparrowhawks are.

Shame the piccies didn't come out

 

[JonathanD]

Interesting, you'd have thought the bats could change direction quicker than a bird, just goes to show how agile Sparrowhawks are.

Shame the piccies didn't come out

They really didn't have time. There were a few chases as it got darker, but the early ones where just quick hits. As the bats became aware, they were still slightly outclassed by the sparrowhawks agility and speed. Amazing considering the lack of light at that time.

 

[robin wood]

Fascinating, exactly the way spar hunts bopping in fast and low and grabbing prey before it realises it's in danger but never heard of the ground up attack of of batcatching. I wonder if this is just one lone bird that has got a liking for bat, I had always heard sparrowhawks were purely feather eaters. Would be interesting to know if others do it un-noticed. Have never seen pellet analysis on sparrowhawk.

The only google pellet analysis I found was this first page of a paper on US sparrowhawk http://www.jstor.org/pss/4159324 gives 45 species of bird, 3 species of mammal and "several" reptiles and amphibians.

 

[Mesquite]

What a fantastic thing to have seen JD

 

[MartiniDave]

You lucky chap Jonathan. The Spar is one of my all-time favourites.

Dave

 

[shaggystu]

great stuff jonathan, i've never heard of sparrowhawks taking bats before. we get our fair share of bats around here and the closest sparrowhawk's nest is about 5 metres from my back door, i think i'll start birdwatching a little later in the day

stuart

 

[blacktimberwolf]

This sparrowhawk could be a "specialist" one that has learnt to hunt a specific prey species, which is supported by the quantity he ate, bats being his only food.( he also has to wait longer between meals)..maybe he prefers bat meat to that of bird's .......I'm not saying it is, but.this would be extremely useful if hunting on another sparrowhawk's territory, at a time when the occupier(s) would be roosting ........a bird this ressourceful will probably be able adapt when the bats hibernate.
This is only conjecture on my part, not facts.

 

[Ch@rlie]

Last night I "pm'd" Jonathen and showed him the images he took with the light levels adjusted, the same this evening and here are the findings...

Jonathen sent me a few other images, one clearly showing the Bat, below is what is possibly the Sparrowhawk coming in for attack.

from what he tells me he will be back having another go soon, lol good luck mate!

 

[JonathanD]

Well, I went back up this evening and just got back. Utterly amazed that I saw him/her again doing the same routine. Not got any great pictures as the speed was just amazing, but I did get him after he caught a bat and circled over the field to return to the woods...

 

[Joffy]

Had a similar experience today although a one off I think.
Was amazed to see a bat flying low over the river Avon today in bright sunshine at 3.00pm - I called to my wife to see it + as we both looked a Sparrowhawk appeared from nowhere, plucked the bat out of the air, + disappeared into some trees!

 

[Ch@rlie]

Well done for finally getting em showing the sparrow hawk

 

[Chiseller]

absolutely mind blowing. cheers for sharing

 

[om2ae]

Hi all,

Haven't posted for an age, but saw this thread, as some of you know I am a licenced bat worker (both professional and volunteer), this isn't unusal for sparrowhawks, where I live there is a massive roost of bats that we monitor every year, there has been many occasions when they have taken bats as they emerge from the roost.

This has happened over many years, so one assumes this isn't the same bird. If there are enough of the bats about and an opportunity presents itself the hawk will take them.

There is no evidence to suggest bats use their echolocation to detect predators and only use it for hunting themselves, therefore if the bat doesn't see the predator (they can see as well as us, only in monochrome) they wouldn't have a chance the sparrowhawk is far to fast. the behavoiur Jonathan is describing suggests it has learnt to come in low and attack upwards. The hawk will still take other prey items, as the bats will be hibernating shortly and the food source will dry up.

Martin

 

[JonathanD]

I've seen spars and owls take bats from emerging bats at roosts before, but never actively hunting them in this style. It took out a Noctule a few nights back too, and that was at the usual high altitude you see nocs at in the early evening. Never seen a spar fly vertically up like that before.