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Project Noah Nature School
Accipiter striatus
saw this guy in my backyard looking for doves to feed. The Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a small hawk. In fact, "sharp-shins" or "sharpies" (as they are sometimes casually called) are the smallest to reside in USA and Canada, though some Neotropical species are smaller (notably the aptly named Tiny Hawk).
This species is widespread in North America, Central America, South America and the Greater Antilles. 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 further 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 tropical to temperate highlands; mainly at altitudes of 300–3000 m (1000–10000 ft), but occasionally down to near sea-level and up to 4000 m (13100 ft). The taxon erythronemius (Rufous-thighed Hawk) is found in tropical and subtropical regions; both in lowlands and highlands.
Glad to help. When I lived up north the sharp shinned was the common one; down here is Texas the cooper is the common one. They are so close, I always have to refer to the Cornell site to compare any I find outside my yard. Here in my yard I have watched the Cooper grow up and become an excellent hunter at my feeders.
gatorfellows: I found a pic with the tail (my lens got fogged up..sorry) but you can see the tail is square so we can confirm that it is a sharp shinned hawk.
Here is what I know of their habits in Texas; I look for Sharp-shinned in the winter here. They go north in the spring to nest. Coopers nest from Southern Canada to Mexico. Here is more tail ID for the two "The tail of the sharp shin is short, square-tipped or notched and has 3-4 narrow black crossbars. In flight, the tail of a Cooper's hawk appears longer and rounded with black barring and a wide white band at the tip." I see wide bands on your photo. Look at the tail photos of a sharp shin and compare. Good luck. My Coopers is spooked easily too.
I did noticed it does have a square tail not a rounded tail..sorry I had to shoot from far before I scare it off. I saw it from my window and it was clear about the tail but I could get a picture of the tail when I went outside to shoot.
How I tell a coopers from a sharp shin is a Coopers has a rounded tail,like this one and sharp shinned have a squared tail. Here is is comparison site I use with photos side by side:
http://static.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/Abou...
Susan, it could be. Look at the sizes of the hawks to try to tell. It looks more like a Cooper's to me, but some time when Liam is on, give him your url for this spotting and ask him. Here's another Cooper's from this afternoon: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/125...
Spotted on Jul 15, 2012
Submitted on Jul 15, 2012
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