Appearance:

Small raptor with long tail and short, rounded wings. Quite similar to Goshawk, and female Sparrowhawks may approach male Goshawks in size (female much larger than male in both species). Upperparts grey in male, and brownish in female and juvenile. Underparts barred in buff in male, and brown barring in female and juveniles. Supercilium may be prominent in females. Less bulky than Goshawk, with more slender hips and less deep chest. The sharper corners of the tail is visible when soaring.

Sound:

Series of short "ke-ke-ke-ke-ke", with rising pitch. Less resonant and less full than similar call of Goshawk, and much faster. Also a short "peeaaaa", shorter and more squeaky than Buzzard.

Alarm call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Differs from Barn Swallow in all plumages by pale throat and black under tail coverts, which are visible at greater distance than the red rump. Rufous cheeks and collar. Underparts finely streaked, giving the bird a slightly "dirty" look from a distance, with less contrast to the upperparts than in Barn Swallow. Immature birds with short streamers and buff cheeks and rump. Build more compact than Barn Swallow, with shorter bill, rounded wings and slightly shorter streamers. Flight slower and with more frequent gliding.

Sound:

Less vocal than Barn Swallow. Song slower, and less energetic. Each phrase starts with a few staccato notes, leading to a short, twittering sequence of a few seconds length, with some drawn notes. Timbre is metallic and "broken", and quite diagnostic.

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Jordi Calvet, Licence,Link.