Rob Cousins / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched on bird feeder, Devon, UK, September.

Markus Varesvuo / Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter nisus) female in flight, Hanko, Finland

Markus Varesvuo / Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter nisus) in flight. Latvia. April

Pål Hermansen,Pal Hermansen / Song thrush (Turdus philomelos) with grub prey on the dashboard of an abandoned car in 'car graveyard' Varmland, Sweden, July

Pal Hermansen / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) attacking Jay (Garrulus glandarius) Telemark, Norway, September

Laurent Geslin / Skeleton of a Sparrowhawk {Accipiter nisus}

Bence Mate / Portrait of female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) drinking at waters edge, Pusztaszer, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary

Bence Mate / Female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) bathing in water, Pusztaszer, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary

Markus Varesvuo / Two Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) immature male and female in flight, male on left, Falsterbo, Sweden. September.

Bert Willaert / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) being caught by a falconer using a Red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) as bait, Georgia, September 2011.

Andrew Parkinson / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) adult killing and plucking feathers from collared dove. Derbyshire, UK, November. British Wildlife Photographer of the Year (BWPA) competition 2012, 'Animal Behaviour' ca...

Andrew Parkinson / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) adult with feather of collared dove in beak, after making kill. Derbyshire, UK, November. (Non-ex)

Andrew Parkinson / 2020VISION / Adult female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) feeding on a collared dove kill in a garden, Derbyshire, UK, November 2011

Andrew Parkinson / 2020VISION / An adult female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) landing on a collared dove kill in a garden, Derbyshire, UK, November 2011. Did you know? In falconry sparrowhawks were traditionally used by priests.

Grzegorz Lesniewski / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched. Bieszczady Mountains, the Carpathians, Poland, October.

Markus Varesvuo / Sparrow Hawk (Accipiter nisus) in flight. Hanko, Finland, September.

Fabrice Cahez / Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) rear view perching on fence post with tail feathers spread. Vosges, France, January.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lesniewski / Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perching in a Birch tree. Bieszczady, Carpathian Mountains, Poland, September.

Fergus Gill / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) watching for prey from a garden rowan tree. Perthshire, Scotland, September

Orsolya Haarberg / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female bathing, Hungary

Orsolya Haarberg / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female stretching leg, Hungary.

Roger Powell / Young male Sparrowhawk perched on plastic feeder in suburban garden, hunting for small garden birds. Northumberland, UK.

Stephen Dalton / Sparrowhawk {Accipiter nisus} in flight with feet extended for landing, UK

Andy Rouse / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female perched in tree in morning light, Wales, UK

Jose B. Ruiz / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) Alicante, Spain

Jose B. Ruiz / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) reflected in water, Alicante, Spain

Kim Taylor / Sparrowhawk {Accipiter nisus} foot and talon. Captive, UK.

David Kjaer / Male Sparrowhawk at water. Sussex, UK

David Kjaer / Female Sparrowhawk feeds chicks in nest. UK

David Kjaer / Female Sparrowhawk with chicks in nest. (Accipiter nisus) UK

Bengt Lundberg / Sparrowhawk (female) with Whitethroat prey, Sweden

Hermann Brehm / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) male, Germany. December

Hermann Brehm / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) male, perched, Germany. January

John Waters / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) flying amongst Common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) coming in to reedbed roost at dusk, Ham Wall RSPB Reserve, Somerset, England, UK, November.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) male killing Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) in suburban garden, Glasgow, Scotland, UK, April.

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) pair mating, with dead chick, a nuptial gift, at female's feet, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) bathing in stream, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) male flying to female. Dead chick, a nuptial gift, at female's feet, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) pair mating, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) male with dead chick as courtship gift for female, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) male flying to female, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) rear view, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) silhouetted in tree, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) female in tree, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) male landing to mate with female, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) male on branch, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) male regurgitating pellet, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) female perched in tree, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) pair mating, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) female, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) female with chick prey, nuptial gift from male, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) male and female with chick prey, nuptial gift from male, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

Eric Medard / Sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus) pair mating. With dead chick, a nuptial gift, at females feet, in forest, Pays de Loire, France

David Tipling / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female bathing in woodland pool, Norfolk, England, UK.

David Tipling / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female in flight. Norfolk, England, UK. October.

Hermann Brehm / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) male, Germany, January.

Hermann Brehm / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) portrait, Germany, October.

Hermann Brehm / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) Germany, November.

Hermann Brehm / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female perched, Germany, October.

Mike Read / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) male bathing in pool in garden stream, Corfe Mullen, Dorset, England, UK. April.

David Tipling / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female bathing in woodland pool North Norfolk, England, UK. August.

David Tipling / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) female bathing in woodland pool North Norfolk, England, UK. August.

Ernie Janes / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched against blue sky, Norfolk, England, UK, December.

David Pattyn / Madagascar Sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis) perched on a branch. Masoala National Park, north east Madagascar. August

David Pattyn / Madagascar sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis) perched on a branch. Masoala National Park, north east Madagascar.

David Pattyn / Madagascar Sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis) perched on a branch. Masoala National Park, north east Madagascar.

David Pattyn / Madagascar sparrowhawk (Accipiter madagascariensis) perched on a branch. Masoala National Park, north east Madagascar. August.

Nick Upton / Juvenile Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) in flight, Matsalu National Park, Haeska, Estonia, September.

Andres M. Dominguez / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) bathing, Andalusia, Spain, June.

Andres M. Dominguez / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) , Andalusia, Spain, August.

Edwin Giesbers / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) bathing in water, Netherlands, February.

Dave Bevan / Female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) plucking and feeding on a Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), Bedfordshire, England, UK. October.

Dave Bevan / Female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) eating a Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), Bedfordshire, England, UK. October.

Dave Bevan / Female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) eating a Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), Bedfordshire, England, UK. October.

Dave Bevan / Female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) plucking and feeding on a Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), Bedfordshire, England, UK. October.

Dave Bevan / Female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) mantling over Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) prey, Bedfordshire, England, UK. October.

Dave Bevan / Female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) eating Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) prey, Bedfordshire, England, UK. October.

Dave Bevan / Close-up of a female Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) feeding on Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), Bedfordshire, England, UK. October.

Dave Bevan / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) chick preening, Bedfordshire, England, UK. July.

Dave Bevan / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) chick preening, Bedfordshire, England, UK. July.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched on a dead branch, Dumfries, Scotland, UK, October.

Fabrice Cahez / Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) Vosges, France, June.

Paul Hobson / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) juvenile male in flight, Yorkshire, UK.

Konrad Wothe / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched in a snow covered tree preening and tucking its foot in to keep warm, Upper Bavaria, Germany, January.

Konrad Wothe / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) landing in a snow covered tree and tucking its foot in to keep warm, Upper Bavaria, Germany, January.

Konrad Wothe / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched in a snow covered tree preening and tucking its foot in to keep warm, Upper Bavaria, Germany, January.

Konrad Wothe / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched in a snow covered tree preening and stretching its wings, Upper Bavaria, Germany, January.

Konrad Wothe / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched in a snow covered tree preening and tucking its foot in to keep warm, Upper Bavaria, Germany, January.

Konrad Wothe / Male Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perched in a snow covered tree preening and tucking its foot in to keep warm, Upper Bavaria, Germany, January.

Ingo Arndt / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) hunting flock of Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla) It's estimated that four million Bramblings return to roost during winter in Black Forest, Germany. February.

Markus Varesvuo / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) Hungary May

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perching beside ferns on lichen covered branch, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, October.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Silhouette of Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perching on lichen covered snag, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, October.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) perching on lichen covered snag, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, October.

Peter Lewis / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) with dead Pigeon on dividing line in road. March.

Peter Lewis / Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) with dead Pigeon on pavement. March.