Sharpie or Cooper's - Ottawa, Canada (1 Viewer)

Just spotted this guy in our back yard. Did not see it in flight, just sitting in the trees near the bird feeders. We're thinking Sharp Shinned Hawk based on size, about 12-14 inches from where we stood.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

David, Ottawa, CA

These are always tough.

David's size estimate of 12 to 14 inches puts it in the top end of an average female Sharp-shin (11 to 13 inches) and at the bottom end of the average size of a male Coopers (14-16 inches).

From what I can see of its breast it is either a sub-adult or a mature bird. With the orangish colored Iris it is likely the former.

In Wheeler's chapter on Sharp-shinned Hawks in the section on SIMILAR SPECIES: (1) COOPER'S HAWK, males.-- he notes in the segment on "PERCHED.--Hackle may be raised, which makes the head appear very large,........ ." That can be seen on the bird pictured here. Although, by itself, it probably isn't definitive. He also notes that the "Auriculars and nape are pale gray or rufous (nape is always medium bluish-gray on Sharp-shinned Hawks.)" (See p. 64 of his Eastern Edition.)

The bird looks like it has more bulk than a female Sharp-shin. The typical weight of a Female SSH is 5 to 8 ounces and that of a male CH is 10-14 ounces. See the chart in the link below from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation:

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/raptors/Sharpshinned.html

I think I am going to call this one a Cooper's Hawk.

Bob

I would also call this a Cooper´s, mainly on tail tip, more white than light brownish, head structure.
Below are a few instructive posts by Jerry Liguori.


http://hawkwatch.org/blog/item/865-sub-adult-accipiters-no-such-thing
http://hawkwatch.org/blog/item/864-eye-color-in-raptors
http://hawkwatch.org/blog/item/790-juvenile-accipiters-flanks

Sharp-shinned here, tail pattern:http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=302014

JanJ

My instinct was Cooper's based on pronounced head.

JANJ said:

I would also call this a Cooper´s, mainly on tail tip, more white than light brownish, head structure.
Below are a few instructive posts by Jerry Liguori.


http://hawkwatch.org/blog/item/865-sub-adult-accipiters-no-such-thing
http://hawkwatch.org/blog/item/864-eye-color-in-raptors
http://hawkwatch.org/blog/item/790-juvenile-accipiters-flanks

Sharp-shinned here, tail pattern:http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=302014

JanJ

Click to expand...

Jan,

That's a good website.

Thanks,

Bob

I knew it was difficult but I'm surprised at the level of factors that go into this particular identification. It's unfortunate I couldn't get a photo from another angle. That being said, a similar looking bird was seen in the same tree this morning and another a few blocks away - in the past few years we've made several positive identifications of Cooper's Hawks in our neighbourhood, so the anecdotal evidence might point in that direction...

Thanks for all the input!

d-squared said:

I knew it was difficult but I'm surprised at the level of factors that go into this particular identification. It's unfortunate I couldn't get a photo from another angle. That being said, a similar looking bird was seen in the same tree this morning and another a few blocks away - in the past few years we've made several positive identifications of Cooper's Hawks in our neighbourhood, so the anecdotal evidence might point in that direction...

Thanks for all the input!

Click to expand...

Keep an "ear" open for their calls. They are distinctive. A Coopers has a raspy kek-kek-kek call. Sharpy's is a high pitched kee-kee-kee. I have read somewhere that Blue Jays can imitate it.

Bob

As Bob pointed out the calls are good as, better than, photos, assuming you can get these accipiters to call. Their MO is silence after all.

Not an easy photo, but I'd go for Coop overall, especially with the long, white-tipped tail.

Mark

For what it's worth, their flight styles are also quite different. A sharpie (usually) flaps it's wings so fast that you can't count the flaps. A Cooper's wing-beats are much slower and stiffer.