sparrow hawk

sparrow hawk
1. a small, short-winged European hawk, Accipiter nisus, that preys on smaller birds.
[1400-50; late ME]

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Small hawk (usually genus Accipiter, family Accipitridae), found in Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Sparrow hawks are gray above, barred-white below, and sometimes have white tail bars. They eat insects and small birds and mammals. The American kestrel is also called sparrow hawk.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sparrow hawk — Sparrow Spar row, n. [OE. sparwe, AS. spearwa; akin to OHG. sparo, G. sperling, Icel. sp[ o]rr, Dan. spurv, spurre, Sw. sparf, Goth. sparwa; originally, probably, the quiverer or flutterer, and akin to E. spurn. See {Spurn}, and cf. {Spavin}.] 1 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sparrow hawk — n. [ME sparowhawke: so named from preying on sparrows] 1. any of certain Eurasian hawks; esp., a small hawk (Accipiter nisus) with short, rounded wings ☆ 2. AMERICAN KESTREL …   English World dictionary

  • sparrow hawk — spar′row hawk n. orn a small, short winged Eurasian hawk, Accipiter nisus, that preys on smaller birds • Etymology: 1400–50 …   From formal English to slang

  • sparrow hawk — noun 1. small hawk of Eurasia and northern Africa • Syn: ↑Accipiter nisus • Hypernyms: ↑hawk • Member Holonyms: ↑Accipiter, ↑genus Accipiter 2. small North American falcon …   Useful english dictionary

  • sparrow hawk — noun a) A species of small falcon, Falco sparverius, that preys grasshoppers and small mammals. b) A small, short winged European hawk, Accipiter nisus, that preys on smaller birds. Syn: American kestrel, Eurasian sparrowhawk …   Wiktionary

  • sparrow hawk — n. small hawk native of North America and Eurasia; kestrel; small falcon of North America …   English contemporary dictionary

  • sparrow hawk — noun Date: 15th century any of various small hawks: as a. an Old World accipiter (Accipiter nisus) that is dark gray to blackish above with the female having a grayish brown barred underside and the male having a chestnut barred underside b.… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sparrow hawk — see pisspsksi …   Index of English subjects to blackfoot subjects

  • sparrow-hawk — …   Useful english dictionary

  • Aero Dynamics Sparrow Hawk — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Sparrow (homonymie) et Hawk. Aero Dynamics Sparrow Hawk II Type Tourisme Motorisation Moteur …   Wikipédia en Français

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