Sharp-shinned Hawk

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small, athletic woodland raptor characterized by its short, rounded wings and long, narrow tail. It is a member of the genus Accipiter, a group of hawks highly specialized for maneuvering through thick forest canopies in pursuit of agile prey. Like many raptors, they exhibit extreme reverse sexual size dimorphism; females are significantly larger than males, sometimes weighing up to twice as much.

While they play a vital role in forest ecosystems, they are also a common sight in suburban environments, where they often patrol areas around bird feeders. Their remarkable speed and maneuverability allow them to make sudden, high-speed dashes through branches to capture small birds in mid-air.

Identifying a Sharp-shinned Hawk with certainty is one of the classic challenges in North American birding, as it closely resembles the larger Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii).

Adult Plumage

• Upperparts: Dark slate-gray or blue-gray back and wings.
• Underparts: White breast and belly heavily barred with rufous-orange.
• Head: A dark gray cap that blends continuously down the back of the neck (nape) without a strong color break.
• Eyes: Dark red to orange in adults.

Juvenile Plumage

• Upperparts: Primarily brown with pale feather edges.
• Underparts: Heavily streaked with vertical brown or rufous bars, particularly on the breast.
• Eyes: Yellow, gradually turning orange and then deep red as they mature.

Key Flight and Structural Marks

• Tail: Long and narrow with a squared-off tip. When folded, the tail often displays a small central notch or cleft. The outer tail feathers are typically the longest.
• Head Projection: In flight, their relatively small head does not extend far beyond the leading edge of the wings, giving them a "pencil-headed" look compared to the "mallet-headed" profile of a Cooper's Hawk.
• Legs: True to their name, their tarsi (shins) are extremely thin and spindly, looking like toothpicks.

Primary Habitats

Sharp-shinned Hawks are forest-dwelling birds. During the breeding season, they prefer deep, continuous coniferous forests or mixed woodlands with dense canopies, which provide cover for nesting. During migration and winter, they utilize a wider array of habitats, including open woodlands, forest edges, scrublands, agricultural fields, and urban or suburban parks.

Geographic Range & Migration

They have an extensive distribution covering most of North America:

• Breeding Range: Across the boreal forests of Alaska and Canada, extending south into the mountainous regions of the United States.
• Year-Round Range: Parts of the northern and western US, Mexico, Central America, and portions of South America.
• Wintering Range: Migratory populations in the northernmost regions travel south, wintering throughout the continental United States, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Migration occurs along major flyways, particularly ridge lines and coastlines, where they can utilize wind currents. Thousands can be counted at raptor migration hotspots each autumn.

Flight & Hunting

Sharp-shinned Hawks fly with a characteristic "flap-flap-glide" pattern. They are built for sudden, explosive bursts of speed. They hunt primarily by ambush, perching quietly within dense foliage before dashing out to surprise prey. They are incredibly agile, tilting their wings to slip through impossibly tight gaps in branches and brush.

Diet

Small songbirds make up over 90% of their diet. Common targets include warblers, sparrows, thrushes, and finches. They will occasionally take small mammals, such as mice or shrews, or large insects.

Voice & Calls

Generally silent throughout most of the year. During the nesting cycle, they may emit a high-pitched, frantic kik-kik-kik-kik call to defend the territory or communicate with a mate.

Nesting & Reproduction

They nesting high in dense conifer trees, often well-concealed near the trunk. The nest is a flat, shallow platform constructed of twigs and lined with bark strips. Females lay 3 to 5 eggs, which are incubated primarily by the female for about 30 days while the male hunts and brings her food.