麻豆社

The dense cover of an English wood makes hunting difficult for birds, depite there being plenty of prey. But there' one bird that specialises in hunting here. Every day a sparrowhawk visits and waits for the right moment. It knows all the twists and turns of the flight path as it flies it several times a day. Its short rounded wings and long tail let it fly fast through narrow gaps. A warning call alerts the woodland birds and the sparrowhawk may not always manage to take its prey by silent surprise. Goshawks are six times heavier than sparrowhawks, and hunt both birds and mammals. They can also fly through narrow gaps, but will hunt on foot, chasing rats through the undergrowth. Despite their formidable armoury and great skill, most hunts end in failure.