Secrets of Nature: The Sparrow-Hawk
(1922)
An intriguing exploration of the life cycle of this bird of prey, The Sparrow-Hawk was part of Secrets of Nature, an innovative set of single reeled educational films released by British Instructional Films (BIF).
With extraordinary attention to detail, creator Percy Smith skillfully charts the development of young birds and the impressive hunting of their parents. A pioneer of early scientific filmmaking and time-lapse photography techniques, Smith blends nature photography with painstaking laboratory work throughout Secrets of Nature, providing an atmospheric account of British wildlife.
Starting Secrets of Nature in 1922, BIF continued to produce these highly informative documentaries over the next eleven years. Celebrating Britain's beautiful natural history the collection was described by filmmaker, historian and critic Paul Rotha in 1930 as "the sheet anchor of the British film industry".
Secrets of Nature: The Cuckoo's Secret (1922)
Percy Smith
