Small but mighty

Scourge of the bird feeder and a master of ‘shock and awe’ assassinations, the sparrowhawk pursues its quarry with such tenacity and unpredictability that it often blindsides its prey

Birds of prey in flight have a reputation for being very tough to identify. However, follow these guidelines and you have a good chance of telling these five larger species apart. Note photos are not to scale.

It may appear lethargic, but no one could argue with the hunting prowess of the common buzzard when it transforms into a surging missile intent on an unsuspecting victim

The marsh harrier, with its effortlessly slow and floating signature manoeuvre, is so enjoying its UK comeback that it now stays with us all year round

FOR AS LONG AS I COULD REMEMBER, the northern goshawk had been elusive, existing just at the edge of everything. This ‘grey ghost’ haunted my imagination. In the early 1970s – which was just as I was

PHOTOS, LETTERS, TWEETS, QUESTIONS – HAVE YOUR SAY