Accipiter nisus
Within the family Accipitridae, the Eurasian sparrowhawk is a member of the large genus "Accipiter", which consists of small to medium-sized woodland hawks. Most of the Old World members of the genus are called sparrowhawks or goshawks. The species' name dates back to the Middle English word "sperhauk" and Old English "spearhafoc", a hawk which hunts sparrows. The Old Norse name for the Eurasian sparrowhawk, "sparrhaukr", was thought to have been coined by Vikings who encountered falconry in England. English folk names for the Eurasian sparrowhawk include "blue hawk", referring to the adult male's colouration, as well as "hedge hawk", "spar hawk", "spur hawk" and "stone falcon".