jmtully
Well-known member

Bird was on our fence yesterday morning. We have 4 feeders up, have for months, and this is the first time we've had a predator come in that we've seen.
I lean towards immature Sharp-shinned (but am not sure) based on following:
-Streaks on chest appear more coarse than thin
-Head and neck seem 'stubby' rather than long
-We regularly see (large) California quail in the same spot and this didn't seem much bigger.
But: based on Sibley's Cooper's would be more likely to perch in the open like that, and I know size is a bad criteria to work off of.
My wife got a better look at it as it flew off and the tail pattern could have been either
I know that's not a lot to go on, and sadly this is the only picture I have (iPhone, through a window).
Thanks.
I lean towards immature Sharp-shinned (but am not sure) based on following:
-Streaks on chest appear more coarse than thin
-Head and neck seem 'stubby' rather than long
-We regularly see (large) California quail in the same spot and this didn't seem much bigger.
But: based on Sibley's Cooper's would be more likely to perch in the open like that, and I know size is a bad criteria to work off of.
My wife got a better look at it as it flew off and the tail pattern could have been either
I know that's not a lot to go on, and sadly this is the only picture I have (iPhone, through a window).
Thanks.