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Sparrowhawk in Dublin city centre

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  • 11-12-2015 11:20am
    #1
    matlock
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭


    A sparrowhawk has recently started visiting the grounds of the building I work in in Dublin city centre. I arrived on Monday morning to find him devouring a pigeon literally on the doormat (I had to shoo him to get in), and I spotted him again perched above the bike shed yesterday. The absence of the usual hordes of pigeons and herring gulls has been remarkable since his arrival. I hope to document his activities in some way, as we have a lot of security cameras picking up his movements, and have already got some photos of him.

    Any advice on encouraging his visits and pest-control duties?
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    #2
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    matlock wrote: »
    A sparrowhawk has recently started visiting the grounds of the building I work in in Dublin city centre. I arrived on Monday morning to find him devouring a pigeon literally on the doormat (I had to shoo him to get in), and I spotted him again perched above the bike shed yesterday. The absence of the usual hordes of pigeons and herring gulls has been remarkable since his arrival. I hope to document his activities in some way, as we have a lot of security cameras picking up his movements, and have already got some photos of him.

    Any advice on encouraging his visits and pest-control duties?

    Throw out some bread to encourage pigeons. If the pigeons visit often then he/she will have a regular supply of food!


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    #3
    matlock
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭matlock


    Capercaillie wrote: »
    Throw out some bread to encourage pigeons. If the pigeons visit often then he/she will have a regular supply of food!

    That's what we've been trying to discourage in the past! Seems a bit cruel on the pigeons too...


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    #4
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Just leave it be - if there are pigeons, even occasionally, it'll come back. If you're recording it via security cameras you won't miss anything. For your own sake keep your eyes peeled and learn to read the behaviours of other birds when the Sparrowhawk might be around - they tend to fly off very quickly, or sometimes the place goes unusually quiet.


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    #5
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,221 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    matlock wrote: »
    Seems a bit cruel on the pigeons too...

    I don't understand this mentality at all. How exactly is it "cruel"?


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    #6
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Mario Some Sharkskin wrote: »
    I don't understand this mentality at all. How exactly is it "cruel"?

    Leave nature to it's own devices. Luring Pigeons in to feed a sparrowhawk isn't exactly playing fair.


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    #7
    matlock
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭matlock


    Mario Some Sharkskin wrote: »
    I don't understand this mentality at all. How exactly is it "cruel"?

    Pigeons being killed due to their own bad luck/observation skills is one thing. Luring them to their deaths is another. In my opinion.


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    #8
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,221 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    Katalina Echoing Rabble wrote: »
    Leave nature to it's own devices. Luring Pigeons in to feed a sparrowhawk isn't exactly playing fair.
    matlock wrote: »
    Pigeons being killed due to their own bad luck/observation skills is one thing. Luring them to their deaths is another. In my opinion.

    Unfair? Yes, but to say it's cruel is undermining the word if you ask me. There's no shortage of pigeons in the Dublin city centre. I can't imagine throwing out bread will make a huge difference, they're everywhere (pigeons).


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    #9
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Mario Some Sharkskin wrote: »
    Unfair? Yes, but to say it's cruel is undermining the word if you ask me. There's no shortage of pigeons in the Dublin city centre. I can't imagine throwing out bread will make a huge difference, they're everywhere (pigeons).

    You don'y think causing the death of a bird to be cruel? There's no shortage of House Sparrows around my garden but I don't deliberately set them up for attacks by predators.


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    #10
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Katalina Echoing Rabble wrote: »
    You don'y think causing the death of a bird to be cruel? There's no shortage of House Sparrows around my garden but I don't deliberately set them up for attacks by predators.
    Feral pigeons are a domesticated species that have returned to the wild, a non-native species. I would not really have a problem with it. Ethically it is probably a bit of a grey area.

    House sparrows are a true wild native species so I defo would not be on for stting them up to be eaten by predators.


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    #11
    matlock
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭matlock


    Mario Some Sharkskin wrote: »
    Unfair? Yes, but to say it's cruel is undermining the word if you ask me. There's no shortage of pigeons in the Dublin city centre. I can't imagine throwing out bread will make a huge difference, they're everywhere (pigeons).

    Personally I think violent death caused by unfairness can be described as cruel.

    But I won't be doing it in any case.


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    #12
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,221 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    Katalina Echoing Rabble wrote: »
    You don'y think causing the death of a bird to be cruel? There's no shortage of House Sparrows around my garden but I don't deliberately set them up for attacks by predators.
    matlock wrote: »
    Personally I think violent death caused by unfairness can be described as cruel.

    But I won't be doing it in any case.

    It would depend on the intention. The intent doesn't have to be cruel, yet the outcome can be the same. Dead pigeon.

    I am of the same opinion in regards to leaving nature to it's own devices. I just don't think that the actions should be described as cruel when we don't know the intentions of the person feeding the pigeons. Are they looking forward to seeing the pigeon in distress and pain, or have they even given this thought.


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    #13
    matlock
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭matlock


    Mario Some Sharkskin wrote: »
    It would depend on the intention. The intent doesn't have to be cruel, yet the outcome can be the same. Dead pigeon.

    I am of the same opinion in regards to leaving nature to it's own devices. I just don't think that the actions should be described as cruel when we don't know the intentions of the person feeding the pigeons. Are they looking forward to seeing the pigeon in distress and pain, or have they even given this thought.

    To be honest I was just looking for some advice on the sparrowhawk, not a philosophical discussion.


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    #14
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    matlock wrote: »
    To be honest I was just looking for some advice on the sparrowhawk, not a philosophical discussion.

    Don't tell too many people in local area about the sparrowhawk. Pigeon fanciers might not be too happy it is around, if they find out.


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    #15
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,221 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    matlock wrote: »
    To be honest I was just looking for some advice on the sparrowhawk, not a philosophical discussion.

    Well this is a discussion board ;)


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