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Sharp-shinned or Cooper's hawk? (1 Viewer)

dfigs1226

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Hello. I am in Pennsylvania (USA) and took this photo yesterday from my cell phone, while on a walk. I believe it is either a Cooper's hawk or a sharp-shinned hawk. But I am relatively new to birding so perhaps it is neither. Any help identifying this bird would be much appreciated. Thank you very much in advance!
 

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Looking at its rather thin legs, as opposed to a Cooper's legs, I'm going with Sharpie!

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Yes, according to my 1939 copy of Book of Birds....the Cooper's will have a round tail and the Sharpie a square. But the picture of this bird almost appears to fit both (round and square). Two things. Note that the branch is in the way. Two, ...note that the bird is slightly askew, possibly making the tail askew or appear to be more square or round, depending on how you view the tail/bird to be askew. So I am still on the fence on this one
 
Yes, according to my 1939 copy of Book of Birds....the Cooper's will have a round tail and the Sharpie a square. But the picture of this bird almost appears to fit both (round and square). Two things. Note that the branch is in the way. Two, ...note that the bird is slightly askew, possibly making the tail askew or appear to be more square or round, depending on how you view the tail/bird to be askew. So I am still on the fence on this one

And remember that a sharpie undergoing moult is going to look rounded even if the species in fresh plumage will not.

Niels
 
The round vs square tail field mark that people are mentioning describes a spread tail when the bird is in flight, not the folded tail of a perched bird. When perched, both Cooper’s and Sharpie will show the same shape tail. A great field mark for Cooper’s hawk are graduated feather lengths in the underside of a folded tail (vs all same length in sharpie), but this photo is too blurry to see that feature. The tail is also obscured by a branch. The only thing that points to one over the other is that Cooper’s will be a good bit more likely that sharpie in June. Otherwise not identifiable.
 
The round vs square tail field mark that people are mentioning describes a spread tail when the bird is in flight, not the folded tail of a perched bird. When perched, both Cooper’s and Sharpie will show the same shape tail. A great field mark for Cooper’s hawk are graduated feather lengths in the underside of a folded tail (vs all same length in sharpie), but this photo is too blurry to see that feature. The tail is also obscured by a branch. The only thing that points to one over the other is that Cooper’s will be a good bit more likely that sharpie in June. Otherwise not identifiable.

I would echo your last point here! Sharp-shinned is quite rare during summer in southern Pennsylvania, and Yardley especially is a very southern locale with lots of suburban habitat.

In short, much better for Cooper's. I agree, though, that without that I'd lean to Cooper's but it's a blurry photo.
 
The round vs square tail field mark that people are mentioning describes a spread tail when the bird is in flight, not the folded tail of a perched bird. When perched, both Cooper’s and Sharpie will show the same shape tail.

Not exactly 100% true. In many perched birds, one can easily see a round vs straight tail tip. Of course it depends on angles and such. The length of this tail also strong says Cooper's as well as the other points made above. Never good to rely on just one field mark...
 
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