Accipiter Identification Tips
| Characteristic | Sharp-Shinned Hawk | Cooper's Hawk |
| Size | 10-14' - jay/dove | 15-20' - crow |
| Proportions | Wide shoulders, narrow hips | Barrel-shaped |
| Head | Small | Large, faint crest |
| Nape | Same as back/head | Paler color contrasts with crown |
Full Answer
What does a sharp shinned hawk look like?
Sharp-shinned Hawks are small, long-tailed hawks with short, rounded wings. They have small heads that in flight do not always project beyond the “wrists” of the wings. The tail tends to be square-tipped and may show a notch at the tip.
How many eggs does a sharp shinned hawk lay?
Sharp-shinned hawks construct a stick nest in a large conifer or dense group of deciduous trees. Clutches of 3 to 8 eggs have been recorded, but 4 to 5 eggs is the typical clutch size. The eggs measure 37.6 mm × 30 mm (1.48 in × 1.18 in) and weigh about 19 g (0.67 oz).
What is the lifespan of a sharp-shinned hawk?
While at least one individual in the wild lived to be 12 years old, the average lifespan of while Sharp-shinned Hawks in the wild is around 5 years. These small hawks are frequently hunted by larger raptors, which is why their average lifespan is so short. 13. What habitat do Sharp-shinned Hawks prefer?
How big is the average size of a hawk?
This is a small Accipiter hawk, with males 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in) long, with a wingspan of 42 to 58 cm (17 to 23 in) and weight from 82–115 g (2.9–4.1 oz). As common in Accipiter hawks, females are distinctly larger in size, averaging some 30% longer, and with a weight advantage of more than 50% being common.
Is a sharp-shinned hawk bigger than a Cooper's hawk?
The first difference between the two adults of these species is their size. On average, Cooper's are about six inches bigger than sharpies. To put it another way: Cooper's Hawks are around the size of a crow, while Sharp-shinned Hawks are roughly the size of a Blue Jay.
How do you tell the difference between a Cooper's shinned and a sharp hawk?
The Cooper's hawk has a more prominent head that is block-like and dome-shaped, while a sharp-shinned hawk has a smaller, more rounded head. Neck feathers are another key ID feature, although it is not always easy to get a look at the nape of a bird's neck while out in the field. If you can, though, check the coloring.
What's the smallest hawk?
The American kestrel (Falco sparverius), also called the sparrow hawk, is the smallest and most common falcon in North America....American kestrelFamily:FalconidaeGenus:FalcoSpecies:F. sparveriusBinomial name14 more rows
What is the smallest hawk in North Carolina?
Sharp-shinned Hawk They are not very common and are in less than 2% of bird sightings in North Carolina. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest hawk in North Carolina.
How big is an adult Cooper's hawk?
14 to 21 inches longIt was named by Charles Bonaparte in 1828 after William Cooper, who collected the specimens that were used to describe the species. >> The Cooper's hawk is from 14 to 21 inches long, with a wingspan of from 27 to 36 inches.
How big is Cooper's hawk?
14 – 20 in.Cooper's hawk / Length
Is a sharp-shinned hawk rare?
This is a typical pattern for many hawks and owls, but otherwise rare in the bird world.
How big is a kestrel hawk?
4.1 ozAmerican kestrel / Mass (Adult)
Why is it called a sharp-shinned hawk?
The sharpshin derives its name from the presence of a sharp, laterally compressed keel on the leading edge of its long legs. Because they are secretive and tend to favor areas of dense vegetation during the breeding season, sharpshins are most easily observed during migration.
What is the largest hawk in North Carolina?
Osprey. The osprey, or fish hawk, is the largest native hawk of North Carolina. But here's the kicker: it's technically not a hawk. These birds used to be classified in the hawk family, but now they exist in a family of their own.
Do hawks eat squirrels?
However, most hawks are opportunistic feeders and they feed on anything they can catch. Some of these small animals may include snakes, lizards, mice, rabbits, squirrels, and any other type of small game that is found on the ground.
How do you tell a goshawk from a Cooper's hawk?
Juvenile. Juvenile goshawks have a pale eyebrow that helps separate them from juvenile Cooper's Hawks. They also have thick streaks on their buffy underparts and an irregularly barred tail, whereas juvenile Cooper's Hawks have whiter underparts and an evenly banded tail.
What is a juvenile sharp-shinned hawk?
A juvenile sharp-shinned hawk in Parrish, Florida. A. (s.) chionogaster (white-breasted hawk): Resembles the members of the nominate group, but upperparts darker (often appears almost black), thighs whitish-buff and underparts and cheeks entirely white.
Why are sharp-shinned hawks secretive?
The nesting sites and breeding behavior of sharp-shinned hawks are generally secretive, in order to avoid the predation of larger raptors, such as the northern goshawk and the Cooper's hawk. While in migration, adults are sometimes preyed on by most of the bird-hunting, larger raptors, especially the peregrine falcon.
What are the different types of hawks?
In addition to the nominate taxon ( A. s. striatus ), it includes subspecies perobscurus, velox, suttoni, madrensis, fringilloides, and venator. The three remaining taxa, each considered a monotypic species if split, are the white-breasted hawk ( A. chionogaster; Kaup, 1852), plain-breasted hawk ( A. ventralis; Sclater, 1866) and rufous-thighed hawk ( A. erythronemius; Kaup, 1850). The breeding ranges of the groups are entirely allopatric, although the wintering range of the nominate group partially overlaps with the range of chionogaster (as is also the case with certain taxa within the nominate group). This allopatry combined with differences in plumage ( see appearance) and, apparently, certain measurements, has been the background for the split, but hard scientific data are presently lacking ( AOU ). Disregarding field guides, most material published in recent years (e.g. AOU, Ferguson-Lees et al. p. 586, and Dickinson et al.) has therefore considered all to be members of a single widespread species – but not without equivocation: Ferguson-Lees et al. say that if they were to make a world list, they would include the three taxa as separate species (p. 75), and the AOU's comment includes the note "split almost certainly good".
How many eggs do hawks lay?
Sharp-shinned hawks construct a stick nest in a large conifer or dense group of deciduous trees. Clutches of 3 to 8 eggs have been recorded, but 4 to 5 eggs is the typical clutch size. The eggs measure 37.6 mm × 30 mm (1.48 in × 1.18 in) and weigh about 19 g (0.67 oz). The eggs are prized by egg-collectors, because they are heavily marked with surprisingly colorful and varied markings. The incubation period is thought to average at about 30 days. After hatching, the young are brooded for 16 to 23 days by the female, while the male defends the territory and catches prey. The young fledge at the age of about a month and rely on their parents for feeding and protection another four weeks. The nesting sites and breeding behavior of sharp-shinned hawks are generally secretive, in order to avoid the predation of larger raptors, such as the northern goshawk and the Cooper's hawk. While in migration, adults are sometimes preyed on by most of the bird-hunting, larger raptors, especially the peregrine falcon. The breeding behavior of the taxa chionogaster (white-breasted hawk), ventralis (plain-breasted hawk) and erythronemius (rufous-thighed hawk) are comparably poorly known, but based on the available knowledge they appear to differ little from that of the nominate group
What is the smallest hawk in the world?
Accipiter velox. The sharp-shinned hawk ( Accipiter striatus) is a small hawk, with males being the smallest hawks in the United States and Canada, but with the species averaging larger than some Neotropical species, such as the tiny hawk.
How big is an Accipiter Hawk?
This is a small Accipiter hawk, with males 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in) long, with a wingspan of 42 to 58 cm (17 to 23 in) and weight from 82–115 g (2.9–4.1 oz). As common in Accipiter hawks, females are distinctly larger in size, averaging some 30% longer, and with a weight advantage of more than 50% being common.
What color are juvenile hawks?
Juveniles have dark brownish upperparts, each feather edged rufous, giving a rather scaly appearance. The brown head is streaked whitish, and the whitish underparts are extensively streaked brown or reddish and usually with reddish barring on the sides. A juvenile sharp-shinned hawk in Parrish, Florida.
How do Sharp-Shinned Hawks breed?
They usually breed between March and June. The birds construct a stick nest in a large conifer or dense group of deciduous trees. The nest is made with fresh twigs and lined with bark chips. The nesting sites and breeding behavior of Sharp-shinned hawks are generally secretive, in order to avoid the predation of larger raptors, such as the Northern goshawk and the Cooper's hawk. The female lays 3 to 8 eggs and incubates them within 30 days. The chicks are altricial; they hatch helpless and are covered with white down. They are brooded for 16 to 23 days by the female, while the male defends the territory and catches prey. The young fledge at the age of about a month and rely on their parents for feeding and protection for another 4 weeks. Reproductive maturity is usually reached at 2 years of age.
What is a sharp hawk?
Sharp-shinned hawks are small birds of prey native to the Americas. These acrobatic flyers have short broad wings and a medium-length tail banded in blackish and gray with the tip varying among individuals from slightly notched through the square to slightly rounded (often narrowly tipped white). The remiges (typically only visible in flight) ...
What are some interesting facts about hawks?
Fun Facts for Kids 1 Male Sharp-shinned hawks are the smallest hawks in the United States and Canada. 2 The eggs od Sharp-shinned hawks are prized by egg-collectors because they are heavily marked with surprisingly colorful and varied markings. 3 Sharp-shinned hawks use their nests year after year, and only when the nest becomes too old, adults will build another nest above it. 4 During the nest construction, the female does most of the work and the male may only help gather nesting materials. 5 Sharp-shinned hawks have a long tail and rounded wings; this allows them to maneuver with agility through dense brush and trees in pursuit of prey.
What is a sharp sinned hawk?
Sharp-shinned hawks are secretive diurnal birds. They are generally solitary but may migrate in small groups. These are agile and acrobatic fliers that surprise and capture most of their prey from cover or while flying quickly through dense vegetation. They are adept at navigating dense thickets, although this hunting method is often hazardous to the hawk. Typically, males hunt smaller birds, such as sparrows and wood-warblers, and females pursue larger prey, such as American robins and flickers, leading to a lack of conflict between the sexes for prey. Sharp-shinned hawks often visit backyard bird feeders in order to target congregations of ideal prey. They often pluck the feathers off their prey on a post or other perch. After feeding, the birds spend their time resting as they need to digest their prey.
How many eggs do Sharp-shinned Hawks lay?
The female lays 3 to 8 eggs and incubates them within 30 days.
Why do hawks visit bird feeders?
Sharp-shinned hawks often visit backyard bird feeders in order to target congregations of ideal prey. They often pluck the feathers off their prey on a post or other perch. After feeding, the birds spend their time resting as they need to digest their prey. Group name. aerie, boil, cast, kettle, lease.
Why are Sharp-shinned Hawks important?
Due to their diet habits, Sharp-shinned hawks control small bird populations in their ecosystem. These small raptors are also an important food source for local predators such as Northern goshawk, Cooper's hawk, and Peregrine falcon.
What do sharp-shinned hawks do?
Rather like a cat’s claws, Sharp-shinned Hawks use their long toes and talons to impale and hold moving prey. They’ve even been known to reach into wire-mesh bird traps to grab prey with their toes. Sharp-shinned Hawks carry their prey to a stump or low branch to pluck it before eating.
What is the smallest hawk in the world?
A tiny hawk that appears in a blur of motion—and often disappears in a flurry of feathers. That’s the Sharp-shinned Hawk, the smallest hawk in Canada and the United States and a daring, acrobatic flier. These raptors have distinctive proportions: long legs, short wings, and very long tails, which they use for navigating their deep-woods homes ...
When did the Sharp-shinned Hawks migrate south?
Sharp-shinned Hawks migrate south out of Canada in the fall and are observed at hawk watches in very large numbers. The hawks follow similar landscape features and often are concentrated in certain areas.
What do raptors use their tails for?
These raptors have distinctive proportions: long legs, short wings, and very long tails, which they use for navigating their deep-woods homes at top speed in pursuit of songbirds and mice. They’re easiest to spot in fall on their southward migration, or occasionally at winter feeders. More ID Info.
How big is a hawk?
This is a small Accipiter hawk, with males 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in) long, with a wingspan of 42 to 58 cm (17 to 23 in) and weight from 82–115 g (2.9–4.1 oz).
How long do hawk eggs last?
The oval-shaped eggs of a sharp-shinned hawk are whitish or pale blue and are marked with darkish spots. Eggs have to be incubated for 30-35 days, and the feminine mother or father does nearly all of the incubation.
Where do hawks migrate?
Northern sharp-shinned hawk populations will migrate to the south for winter, however birds within the western mountains of Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, southern Idaho, northern California, Washington, and Oregon could also be current year-round.
Do hawks eat mice?
Like all birds of prey, sharp-shinned hawks will soar over their territory to find prey. They are prone to feed on the bottom after capturing a chicken, mouse, or different small mammal and will stay on the bottom for a number of minutes after feeding.
What is the shape of a hawk?
A sharp-shinned hawk has a heavy-shouldered appearance with much narrower hips, giving it an inverted triangle shape. A Cooper’s hawk has a more even distribution of girth and may seem barrel-shaped.
What do Sharp-shinned Hawks eat?
Sharp-shinned hawks eat almost exclusively small birds such as sparrows and finches, ...
How to tell if a Cooper's Hawk is sharp?
Nape of Neck: If you can see the back of the bird, check the nape of its neck. A sharp-shinned hawk will appear to be the same color from the back to the top of the head, while a Cooper’s hawk will have a paler nape with a contrasting darker cap on the head and darker plumage lower on the back. Neck Length: A sharp-shinned hawk may appear ...
What bird has brown streaks?
This is also most prominent on juvenile birds when the Cooper’s hawk will be much paler below and its streaking will be more brown than red. Legs: The sharp-shinned hawk gets its name from its pencil-thin legs that give it a longer-legged appearance.
What do Cooper's Hawks eat?
Sharp-shinned hawks eat almost exclusively small birds such as sparrows and finches, while Cooper’s hawks generally take larger birds such as doves. Cooper’s hawks may also regularly take small rodents and mammals, though this is rare (but not unheard of) for sharp-shinned hawks.
How big is a Cooper's Hawk?
The Cooper’s hawk is larger, with an average size of 15-20 inches, closer to the size of a crow . A small male Cooper’s hawk, however, can be difficult to tell from a large female sharp-shinned hawk on size alone.
Do Cooper's Hawks have a long neck?
Neck Length: A sharp-shinned hawk may appear to have no neck at all or just a very short neck. Cooper’s hawks have a longer neck and tend to be more active with head movements. Front Coloration: Both birds are heavily barred with rufous coloring through the chest and abdomen, but a sharp-shinned hawk can have thicker streaks on ...
Hawk Wingspan & Size: How Big Are They?
There are dozens of species of hawk, but they generally have a wingspan between 2 and 4 feet.
How fast and far can a hawk fly?
A red-tailed hawk, the most common hawk, can fly at speeds in excess of 120 mph. While they are calmly soaring, they generally cruise between 20 and 30 mph. They are likely some of the fastest hawks in the world. Peregrine falcons are often confused for hawks, but they aren’t part of the buteo group that hawks are classified in.
What birds are bigger than hawks?
Hawks are some of the best predators in the world, but they aren’t the largest. Eagles are generally larger than any hawk species. A hawk’s other cousins, falcons, are similar in appearance but are generally much smaller.
Where do sharp-shinned hawks live?
In North America, the Sharp-shinned Hawk breeds primarily in Canada and Alaska, migrating south into the continental U.S., Mexico, and Central America. There are year-round populations in the Rocky and Appalachian Mountain regions, though.
Why are hawks called sharp shins?
sharp) on the leading edge of its legs. So, it’s called the sharp-shinned hawk because it does, in fact, have sharp shins . 2.
What is the smallest hawk in the world?
Male sharp-shinned Hawks are the smallest hawks in North America, while females, at 30% larger, are often bigger or at least equal in size to the males of other species. Since many other hawks prey primarily on birds, this makes sharp-shinned hawks prey for other raptors which is why they’re such secretive, hard to observe birds.
How long do hawks live?
While at least one individual in the wild lived to be 12 years old, the average lifespan of while Sharp-shinned Hawks in the wild is around 5 years. These small hawks are frequently hunted by larger raptors, which is why their average lifespan is so short.
What do hawks eat?
Sharp-shinned hawks feed almost exclusively on songbirds. American Robins appear to represent the upper limit for prey size for this hawk. They will occasionally target small mammals and insects if birds are scarce.
What color are hawks?
These hawks are small with long tails. They have blue-gray coloring on their backs, and orange-red bars on their chest. They have short, rounded wings and a squared-off tail. In flight, their wings are typically pushed forward and used in short, fast beats.
When did the Sharp-Shinned Hawk population decline?
While the sharp-shinned hawk population declined in the 1960s and 1970s due to the use of DDT, numbers have stabilized and possibly rebounded since then. Since these hawks tend to be more secretive than other species, it can be hard to get an accurate picture of their population size at times. 10.
What are the similarities between Cooper's Hawk and Sharp-Shinned Hawk?
The sharp-shinned hawk (left) and Cooper's hawk are very similar in appearance. (Photos via Shutterstock) Plenty of similarities exist between birds in the avian world. It can be hard to tell a downy woodpecker from a hairy woodpecker. Or a house finch from a purple finch.
How to tell if a Cooper's Hawk is a hawk?
One of the first things to consider when trying to tell whether a particular bird is a Cooper's hawk or a sharp-shinned hawk is the size. Cooper's hawks are about 6 inches bigger than sharp-shinned hawks, the Audubon Society reports. A good rule of thumb is that Cooper's hawks are similar in size to a crow, while sharp-shinned hawks are closer in ...
What color are Cooper's Hawk's feathers?
If you can, though, check the coloring. A sharp-shinned hawk will have the same dark grayish-blue feathers on both its head and neck, while a Cooper's hawk's neck feathers are lighter in color than its head feathers, The Spruce reports.
What is the difference between a Cooper's Hawk and a Hawk?
The Cooper's hawk has a more prominent head that is block-like and dome-shaped, while a sharp-shinned hawk has a smaller, more rounded head. Neck feathers are another key ID feature, although it is not always easy to get a look at the nape of a bird's neck while out in the field. If you can, though, check the coloring.
Is a Cooper's Hawk a crow?
A good rule of thumb is that Cooper's hawks are similar in size to a crow, while sharp-shinned hawks are closer in size to a blue jay. The reason size alone isn't a good indication of whether you're seeing a Cooper's hawk or sharp-shinned hawk is because of the size variation among males and females. The females of both species are about one-third ...
Overview
Description
This is a small Accipiter hawk, with males 23 to 30 cm (9.1 to 11.8 in) long, with a wingspan of 42 to 58 cm (17 to 23 in) and weight from 82–115 g (2.9–4.1 oz). As common in Accipiter hawks, females are distinctly larger in size, averaging some 30% longer, and with a weight advantage of more than 50% being common. The female measures 29 to 37 cm (11 to 15 in) in length, has a wing…
Taxonomy
The sharp-shinned hawk is sometimes separated into four species, with the northern group (see distribution) retaining both the scientific name and the common name: sharp-shinned hawk (A. striatus). In addition to the nominate taxon (A. s. striatus), it includes subspecies perobscurus, velox, suttoni, madrensis, fringilloides, and venator. The three remaining taxa, each considere…
Distribution
This species is widespread in North America, Central America, South America and the Greater Antilles. Below, the distributions of the four groups (see taxonomy) are described as they occur roughly from north to south:
• The nominate (A. s. striatus) group is widespread in North America, occurring in all of the forested part of USA and Canada, breeding in most of it. Populations in the northern part of the r…
Habitat
It occurs in a wide range of woodland and forest types, both dominated by conifers and by various types of broad-leaved trees (especially oaks) The largest populations of the nominate group (see taxonomy) are thought to occur in the temperate boreal forests, but winter in warmer regions farther south (see distribution). The taxa suttoni, madrensis (both from the nominate group), chionogaster (white-breasted hawk) and ventralis (plain-breasted hawk), are found in upper tropi…
Behaviour
These birds surprise and capture most of their prey from cover or while flying quickly through dense vegetation. They are adept at navigating dense thickets, although this hunting method is often hazardous to the hawk. The great majority of this hawk's prey are small birds, especially various songbirds such as sparrows, wood-warblers, finches, wrens, nuthatches, tits, icterids and thrushes. Birds caught range in size from a 4.4 g (0.16 oz) Anna's hummingbird to a 577 g (1.272 …
Conservation
In North America this species declined in numbers in the 1960s and 1970s, probably as a result of the use of DDT and other pesticides. The population of USA and Canada has rebounded since and might even exceed historical numbers today, probably due to the combination of the ban on DDT and the proliferation of backyard bird feeders in North America which create unnaturall…
External links
• Sharp-shinned Hawk Species Account – Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
• Picture of Sharp-shinned Hawk (Juvenile male) in the hand at birdwatching-bliss.com