SW-Ontario, Canada - small, long-tailed raptor ID (1 Viewer)

[BruceTrailHiker2011]

Hi - I saw this today perched on a sign by the exit ramp in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (Hamilton is located at the western tip of Lake Ontario). To respect the bird and not spook it, I stayed really far away, so the quality is poor, but I've included two pics on this Instagram post - one zoomed in, and another zoomed out for perspective. It's quite small compared to the big Red-tailed hawks I commonly see here. Maybe a Sharp-shinned or a Cooper's?

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View this content on Instagram

 

[nartreb]

Maybe. Can't see any detail in the photo, but might be able to measure size based on the structure it's perched on.

 

[Butty]

Probably an Accipiter - and probably one of those two. Impossible to tell.

 

[Hotspur]

Coopers Hawk. The head profile is pretty distinctive versus sharp-shinned.

 

[Butty]

head profile is pretty distinctive

... and the photo is such low quality (no offence) that it resembles that of an ani more than any raptor.

 

[Hotspur]

... and the photo is such low quality (no offence) that it resembles that of an ani more than any raptor.

With the best will in the world, your unfamiliarity with the species in question does not render it unidentifiable due to a poor quality photo. The jizz and proportions are distinctive. I find your snipey gatekeeping of the ID forum tiresome. This is a Coopers Hawk, despite the poor photo.