The Collared Sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza cirrocephala) is featured this month in the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) 2026 Year of the Raptor community awareness campaign.
Raptors are carnivorous birds of prey that hunt and feed on live prey including rabbits, rodents, fish, lizards and other birds.
Collared Sparrowhawk. Photograph by Jenny Younger
Goulburn Broken CMA project officer, Janice Mentiplay-Smith, said the Collared Sparrowhawk was a small bird-hunting specialist whose prey included introduced pests such as the Common Starling and House Sparrow.
The Collared Sparrowhawk is characterised by its chestnut-coloured feathery half collar, yellow eyes and long, skinny legs, which lends itself to its other common name, Chickenhawk
“The Collared Sparrowhawk also eats insects, lizards and small mammals including microbats. Being a smaller raptor, its prey is not large, usually weighing around 100-200 grams.
“It relies on speed and stealth to catch its prey and is adept at hiding amongst foliage to wait in ambush for its next meal. It will also seize prey in flight via direct attack or a sneaky glide. This agile raptor is perfectly adapted to catch small birds in this manner; its long middle toe is designed to snag its prey before it is quickly dispatched, plucked and eaten.”
Ms Mentiplay-Smith said the Collared Sparrowhawk builds a flat nest of twigs and sticks lined with green leaves, nestled safely in the fork of a living tree with plenty of concealing foliage. The nest is usually elevated anywhere between four to 39 metres above ground.
The female undertakes most of the incubation, however the male will sometimes assist. His primary task is to provide food for the female. After 35 days of incubation, the chicks hatch and fledge after approximately 28 to 33 days.
“Both parents feed the chicks. In an effort to reduce the unwelcome attentions of a larger, hungrier raptor, Collared Sparrowhawk chicks are said to be less noisy than other raptor chicks when demanding food from their parents. After fledging, the chicks continue to depend on their parents for up to another six weeks while they learn to hunt.”
Although recorded as being widespread across Australia, the Collared Sparrowhawk is not considered to be a common bird.
“In the Goulburn Broken catchment, it requires woodlands and forests with a diverse mix of understory shrubs that attract a variety of insects that, in turn, attract a variety of small birds which become prey for the Collared Sparrowhawk,” Ms Mentiplay-Smith said.
“This is a great example of how all the pieces of an environmental system need to be healthy and functioning. Without one of these pieces in place, it’s easy to see how species can decline and quietly disappear.”
Bird watching is an enjoyable way to see the Goulburn Broken catchment's beautiful birdlife, including its amazing raptors. Local birding group Murray Goulburn BirdLife meet monthly to conduct outings and enjoy the local environment. The next outings are scheduled for Wednesday 5 August at Winton Wetlands for a bird survey and Saturday 15 August at Eldorado. For more information, contact: robertsdon680@gmail.com
Collared Sparrowhawk. Photograph by Jenny Younger
Learning more about a species and its requirements is a positive first step in helping it and the environment it relies on. BirdLife Australia’s Raptor Group promotes the conservation, management and study of Australia's birds of prey and fosters communication and cooperation among raptor enthusiasts across Australasia. For more information visit https://ausraptorgroup.org
The Year of the Raptor is supported by the Victorian Government through the Our Catchments Our Communities stewardship program.