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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Bunch of Accipters, CA (1 Viewer)

Tiraya

Tiraya

San Diego CA
United Kingdom
Yep, its been 5 years now and I still can't work out any differences in the two.


Image 1 is two separate birds (scale not 100% exact, one was just closer than the other).
Image 2 both show the same bird.
Image 3 is a separate individual to those in 1 and 2.
 

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Thins to look for in flight:

Copper's show a larger head, which sticks out past the edge of the wings, when soaring. They also usually show rounded tails, vs the squared off tails of sharpies, especially evident on your two Cooper's Hawks. Cooper's also have a straighter leading edge to the wing, when soaring, with little to no bend at the "wrist" joint, while Sharpies tend to have a pronounced bend there.
 
DarkFireFalcon said:
Thins to look for in flight:

Copper's show a larger head, which sticks out past the edge of the wings, when soaring. They also usually show rounded tails, vs the squared off tails of sharpies, especially evident on your two Cooper's Hawks. Cooper's also have a straighter leading edge to the wing, when soaring, with little to no bend at the "wrist" joint, while Sharpies tend to have a pronounced bend there.
Click to expand...

This is what I've been told many times, but after looking through several Accipters I'm finding birds that seem to ignore these features.

My 2nd bird was obviously a sharpie but most of my accipters have worn tails.
 
Silverwolf said:
My 2nd bird was obviously a sharpie but most of my accipters have worn tails.
Click to expand...

With regard to tail "roundness", a specific feature to look for is the relative length of the outer feathers. If noticeably shorter than the others you have a Coop, if approximately the same length, a Sharpie. Unfortunately, because of the way the avian tail folds, relative feather length can only be accurately assessed from below. When observed well, however, it's diagnostic.
 
Last edited:
Its a crow.

One of my local crow flock which is very efficient at locating "hidden" birds of prey, I might say. Indeed it was a very tiny accipter.
 
cavan wood said:
The third bird in the second set is a buteo. I'm not sure which, given the lighting.
Click to expand...

OP says that they are the same bird and that could well be the case. A week ago I drove by a cemetery near my home and saw a Sharpshin in a tree very close to the road. Absolutely no doubt about it. It took off from the branch it was perched on and it looked just like this bird when it did, spread tail and wings splayed. I still have a picture of it in my minds eye.

Bob
 
ceasar said:
OP says that they are the same bird and that could well be the case.
Click to expand...

No he doesn't, he says both are the same bird, referring to the two obvious Sharpies. He says nothing about the mystery bird (which appears to be in the same photo as one of the Sharpies).
 
Last edited:
fugl said:
No he doesn't, he says both are the same bird, referring to the two obvious Sharpies. He says nothing about the mystery bird (which appears to be in the same photo as one of the Sharpies).
Click to expand...

OK. I misread the post. Sorry. He says it's a crow.
 
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