Photo: Hajotthu / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisus
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 221 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Accipiter
- Species nisus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 221 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL widespread.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 221 g, with a wing length of about 20.7 cm and a tail of around 15.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 23.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Eurasian Sparrowhawk?
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is a large bird that weighs around 221 g.
Where does the Eurasian Sparrowhawk live?
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Eurasian Sparrowhawk belong to?
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Eurasian Sparrowhawk eat?
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Eurasian Sparrowhawk migrate?
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Eurasian Sparrowhawk endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Eurasian Sparrowhawk make?
1 real field recording of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Eurasian Sparrowhawk's range?
The Eurasian Sparrowhawk has a mapped global range of about 23.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.