Sharp-shinned Hawk

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is the smallest and most agile of North America's forest hawks (accipiters), built for high-speed chases through dense tree cover in pursuit of small birds. Adults have a blue-gray back, finely rufous-barred underparts, and red eyes; juveniles are brown above with sharp brown streaking below and yellow eyes.

Females are notably larger than males, a pronounced size difference (reversed sexual dimorphism) typical of hawks that hunt agile prey, allowing the sexes to specialize on slightly different prey sizes.

Key field marks

• Small size with a tiny, rounded head that barely projects past the wrist in flight
• Squared or slightly notched tail tip
• Adult: blue-gray back, fine rufous barring below, red eyes
• Juvenile: brown above, streaky brown below, yellow eyes
• Quick, snappy wingbeats interspersed with short glides

Similar species

Cooper's Hawk is larger with a proportionally bigger, more blocky head that projects noticeably past the wrists in flight, a rounded tail tip with a broader white terminal band, and slower, more powerful wingbeats. Merlin is stockier with pointed wings and a different flight style, more falcon-like than accipiter-like.

Habitat

Breeds in dense coniferous and mixed forest, often at higher elevations or in northern latitudes; during migration and winter, ranges more broadly into woodland edges, parks, and suburban yards with bird feeders.

Range

Breeds across Canada, the northern and mountainous United States, and parts of Mexico and Central America. Northern populations are strongly migratory, moving south in large numbers each fall, often concentrated at well-known hawk-watch sites along mountain ridges and coastlines.

Behavior

A stealth hunter, the Sharp-shinned Hawk uses dense cover to surprise small birds, launching sudden, agile chases through branches and thickets, and will readily ambush birds visiting feeders.

Voice

Gives a rapid, high-pitched "kik-kik-kik-kik" near the nest, generally quiet elsewhere.

Feeding and nesting

Diet is dominated by small songbirds such as sparrows and warblers, occasionally supplemented with small mammals and insects. Builds a stick nest well hidden in a dense conifer, typically close to the trunk.