SPARROWHAWK : Accipiter nisus
Not to be confused with the larger goshawk. That though is unlikely to be seen within West Dunbartonshire. Locally you may see the remains of its prey more than the bird itself; usually pile of feathers of other birds such as pigeons.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust tells us that they possess a speed and stealth that makes them difficult to spot. As one of our smallest birds of prey they are agile and can change direction quickly, making them excellent hunters. The eyes of the sparrowhawk are its most striking feature. In juvenile birds the eyes are greenish yellow but as they mature the eye become bright yellow, almost neon.
No, not a giant sparrow hawk, but one that seized a pigeon amongst the toys in a family's garden. It could not lift the prey due to their comparative sizes and gulls started to circle overhead much like vultures. It moved off and eventually gave up.
FORESTRY AND LAND SCOTLAND website : Goshawks and the working forest : https://forestryandland.gov.scot/what-we-do/biodiversity-and-conservation/wildlife-conservation/goshawks
SCOTTISH WILDLIFE TRUST : https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/species/sparrowhawk/
