Losses of released birds to raptors is usually less than 5% of the number of birds put down. There are of course places where it is higher, but in many cases it can be as low as 2% or 3%. But this doesn’t make it any less frustrating when you find kills, especially if you only put a few birds down to start with.
Pheasant poults have usually outgrown sparrowhawks when they get to 10 to 12 weeks of age. They will be too big and streetwise for all but the largest and most determined of buzzards a month later, but sadly never get
