Cooper's Hawk? (1 Viewer)

D

Dave S

Corporate Lacky

• Oct 25, 2005

• #1

I took this picture at work today of what appeared to be a Juvenile Cooper's Hawk at first. It's just that I've never seen one with so much white on their face. It also seemed to have a faint stripe running down it's cheek.

I can only guess on the size, but at first (from a distance) I mistook it for a kestrel, when it flew closer I could see it was a little bigger than a Kestrel... possibly as big as a cooper's hawk, but it seemed a bit smaller than most of the cooper's I'd seen.

I was hoping someone here might help me out on the ID for this one:

 

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B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Oct 25, 2005

• #2

Definitely either Cooper's or Sharp-shinned - not Kestrel. Not sure, to be honest. Would like some more shots from different angles.

In favour of Cooper's: breast streaks look blackish and less dense on the lower belly (really need a front view though). Rather square head. Where it's perched (according to Sibley, Coopers often perch on posts or poles, while Sharp-shinned almost always perches on tree branches - obviously not a diagnostic point though). Orangey nape maybe favours Cooper's?

In favour of Sharp-shinned: bird looks small (but could maybe be a male Cooper's). So does the bill. Legs look a bit thin. Don't see any white on tail tip which juv Cooper's should show.

I'm marginally more inclined towards Sharp-shinned, but very unsure.

 

Last edited: Oct 25, 2005

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Oct 25, 2005

• #3

First glance said Sharpie to me.

 

D

David Lukas

Member

• Oct 26, 2005

• #4

Things that would put it into the Cooper's camp for me include the square head and hackles, tawny neck, rufous edgings on back feathers, position of eye towards front of face (instead of appearing centrally located), and rather sparse streaks on underparts. To my eye the legs look relatively large and stout, but obviously that's in the eye of the beholder right?

David Lukas
WhatBird.com

 

B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Oct 26, 2005

• #5

Hmm... Personally, I thought the eye looked comparatively centrally placed! Especially in the second picture. Another "eye of the beholder" thing, I suppose. Anyone know a more objective way of measuring the eye position?

 

D

Dave S

Corporate Lacky

• Oct 26, 2005

• #6

I think I'm still leaning towards cooper's hawk myself. The light eyebrow and light cheeks were some things I hadn't seen on the young cooper's out here and that's what peaked my curiousity. There is a white band on the tail (look at the second picture a bit more carefully) and the size did seem to be a bit closer to a cooper's than a sharp shinned.

 

S

Scottfla72

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2005

• #7

If it was about the size of a Kestrel - maybe a little bigger - my vote would be for Sharpie. Something about the eyes - Cooper's always seem to look "meaner". Sharpies usually seem to have that wide-eyed look. Voting for Sharpie here...

Scott

 

dpaceiii

Active member

• Nov 11, 2005

• #8

id correct!!

Yes that is a imm. coopers. Colorations vary slightly from location to location and individual differences also. Good job of ID'ing

 

Katy Penland

Well-known member

• Nov 12, 2005

• #9

I'm in the Cooper's camp. That flat- and square-headed profile, showing more neck, darker and more thinly placed belly streaks (what we can see of them), and the white tail tip do it for me. I don't think I could tell the difference in the leg thickness from a side view; Sharp-shinned always look like sticks when viewed from the front.

I've seen Sharpies and Cooper's perch on everything. I've had both species on fencing, rain gutters, telephone poles, even on the ground walking around, and, of course, in trees and shrubs. However, I live in the middle of natural forest so the perching habits of more urbanized birds may vary between the species.