The Eurasian Sparrowhawk (known as just ‘Sparrowhawk’ in the UK) is a medium-sized bird of prey resident in much of the UK and western Europe. They are adapted for hunting smaller birds using an ambush-style of capture, such as using low hedges as cover, diving over at the last minute to catch an unsuspecting bird. While originally a woodland species, they have adapted very well to gardens where bird tables provide an unintended buffet of feeding birds. Once they have caught their prey, they may hold their wings over it (mantling) to prevent other predators from stealing their catch.
Male Sparrowhawks have bluish-grey backs and wings, and peachy-orange stripes on the breast and belly. They are smaller than the females, and the size of prey reflects this, for example Blackbirds, Starlings or House Sparrows. Females and young have brown upperparts and brown stripes below. Females may take birds up to the size of pigeons.
My most recent sighting was of a female Sparrowhawk that had caught a bird at a roundabout as I was driving on my way to work. As I exited the roundabout I noticed a Sparrowhawk holding its wings over the body of its prey. It was only a fleeting glance, and I hope the bird managed to remove the prey to a safer spot to eat.
I took this photo several years ago in my garden. It does not have the typical peachy underparts of a male, but the grey back indicates that it is. Perhaps it was a youngster still coming into its adult plumage.