Levant Sparrowhawk - a species for which we know not much about...we have some idea that they overwinter in East Africa but no one knows where (Chad? Sudan); and only a handful of nests have been studied in Turkey and the Caucasus.

I presume this fellow was in captivity for the photo? Are you part of a study group or just an interested observer? The photo is well done.

Hello,

 

If the truth be told, all the birds you see here that were photographed in Eilat were held in the hand. The birds are trapped as part of an ongoing banding project that has revealed many things about the biology of migratory species that were previously unknown. The results are published in scientific journals...So to answer your question, the birds are not "captives" as individuals in a zoo would be. Rather they are trapped for a few minutes (usually less than 30 minutes) and then released. We scientists prefer to see them in the wild whenever possible.

Robert - thanks for the feedback and good luck in your studies. We need them.