Moraga, Ca. Juvenile Sharpie or Coopers? (1 Viewer)

wdc · Aug 6, 2018

Re-visiting this conundrum with a sighting this morning. I heard a call that had the character or a muted red-tail cry, and followed it to find this bird. I see rounded tail feathers, but others that seemed more squared off, yet worn...

The forward position of the eye, plus the rounded tail feathers to me say Cooper's.
However the reddish streaks on the chest seem to be Sharpie...

The lighting is unnaturally warm, due to smoke from recent wildfires in the state.

All opinions welcome. Thanks.

-Bill

KC Foggin · Aug 6, 2018

I'm going with Sharpie on this one.

jmepler · Aug 6, 2018

Tail feathers of varying lengths (that give the tail the appearance of a rounded tip) make it a Cooper's Hawk.

ceasar · Aug 6, 2018

Did you determine if the bird pictured here was making the call that you described above? I ask this because according to Wheeler's "Raptors of North America" volumes the call of the Cooper's Hawk is described as a "very nasal kek-kek-kek of varying duration when alarmed or agitated." The Sharp-shins call when highly agitated is a high-pitched, rapid kee-kee-kee.

I think it is a Sharpy based on its overall appearance or giss. Here are a few pictures of Sharp-shins and Coopers from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.

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

Bob

D Halas · Aug 6, 2018

This is a tough one, because while the tail feathers do show the staggered lengths that are typical of Cooper's, the shape and colour of the streaking on the belly is a match for Sharp-shinned. Juvenile Cooper's Hawks show much thinner, tear-drop shaped streaks that are dark brown in colour, with little or no reddish tone to them. My suggestion is accordingly that this is a Sharp-shinned Hawk that may have lost some tail feathers not too long ago, and it's not yet done regrowing them.

wdc · Aug 7, 2018

ceasar said:
Did you determine if the bird pictured here was making the call that you described above? I ask this because according to Wheeler's "Raptors of North America" volumes the call of the Cooper's Hawk is described as a "very nasal kek-kek-kek of varying duration when alarmed or agitated." The Sharp-shins call when highly agitated is a high-pitched, rapid kee-kee-kee.

I think it is a Sharpy based on its overall appearance or giss. Here are a few pictures of Sharp-shins and Coopers from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation.

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

Bob

Hi Bob, Yes. I followed the sound to the tree, saw the bird, and then it made the same call in front of me. I would describe it (unscientifically) as being similar in character to a Flicker call, which has the sort of descending pitch of a raptor, however this bird's version was more muted, less piercing, and a bit buzzy, if that makes any sense. I figured it was perhaps a hungry juvenile's call.

Andy Adcock · Aug 7, 2018

D Halas said:
This is a tough one, because while the tail feathers do show the staggered lengths that are typical of Cooper's, the shape and colour of the streaking on the belly is a match for Sharp-shinned. Juvenile Cooper's Hawks show much thinner, tear-drop shaped streaks that are dark brown in colour, with little or no reddish tone to them. My suggestion is accordingly that this is a Sharp-shinned Hawk that may have lost some tail feathers not too long ago, and it's not yet done regrowing them.

Doesn't look bulky enough for Cooper's to me?

KenM · Aug 7, 2018

A few Coopers for comparison.....

Moraga, Ca. Juvenile Sharpie or Coopers? (1 Viewer)

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wdc

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KC Foggin

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jmepler

It's just a flesh wound.

ceasar

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D Halas

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wdc

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Andy Adcock

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KenM

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