sharpshinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION:

• Length: 10.5 inches Wingspan: 21 inches

• Sexes similar, but females much larger

• small, broad-winged, long-tailed hawk

• Short, dark, hooked beak

• Long, narrow tarsi

• Short, rounded wings

• Long tail is squared-off at tip with prominent corners

• Typically flies with several quick snappy wingbeats and a short glide,            but also soars

• small rounded head does not project far beyond wings when soaring

Adult:

• Red eye

• Black cap

• Blue-gray back and upperwings

• White breast, belly and underwing coverts marked by fine, thin, red-          dish bars

• White undertail coverts

• Tail, blue gray above and pale below, barred with black bands

• Flight feathers, blue-gray above and pale below, with dark bars

Immature:

• Yellow eye

• Brown head with indistinct pale supercilium

• Brown cap, nape, back, and upperwings

• Tail, brown above and pale below, barred with black bands

• White underparts streaked extensively with dark brown, almost to the  undertail

Similar species:

The sharp-shinned hawk is most similar to the Cooper's hawk. In all
plumages, the sharp-shinned hawk has a shorter, less rounded tail
with a thinner white tip, slimmer tarsi, a more rounded head that does
not project much beyond the wings when soaring and a less snappy
wingbeat. Male sharp-shinned hawks are obviously smaller than all
Cooper's hawks. Adult sharp-shinned hawks have a less well-defined
cap while immatures have thicker, more extensive streaking on the
breast and belly. Immature northern goshawks are quite similar to
immature sharp-shinneds but are much larger, more comparable in
size to a buteo. American kestrel is similar in size but has pointed
wingtips and quite different patterns.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: Short distance migrant
Breeding Habitat: Woodland
Nest Location: N/A
Nest Type: N/A
Clutch Size: 4-5
Length of Incubation: 32-35 days
Days to Fledge: 24-27
Number of Broods: 1?
Diet: Primarily birds; lesser quantities of small mammals

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May R
      Su - Summer: June, July, August R
      Fall: September, October, November C

      Winter: December, January, February R

 

 

Back to Inventory of Bird Families and Species