Cooper's vs. Sharp-shined Hawk

[Perry]

This one is near and dear to my heart. Cooper's Hawks nest in Arbor Hills. During the winter both species are present. I get a lot of chances to see these two in action on the same day. In the nesting season, I get to observe all phases of courting, nesting and fledging. The wing beat really helps me, but it took repeated views over time to pick up on this. Now it is almost instant for me.

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/learning/trickyIDs/sharp-shinned-and-cooper-s-hawks/

[turtleman]

Hi Perry,

I am glad to find someone who can distinguish between Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawk’s. In 1994, I was amazed and delighted to look out on the patio of my ticky-tacky in Farmers Branch and see an accipter attracted to the birds at the feeders in my back yard. I was able to snap several pictures out the window and have been trying to decide since then if I had seen a SS or a C Hawk. If these pictures are good enough, could you please let me know what birds I am seeing?

Thank you,

Richard Grant

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/471863690_a0a55ed628_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/206/471863694_0d9fdd8cde_o.jpg

[Sheryll]

I'm not Perry, but I'd call this a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. Unless you have REALLY BIG leaves on the plant, this bird is on the smaller side. Also, it has a more compact head that is not squarish (I think that Cooper's Hawk head look like a box) as is seen on Coopers Hawks.

Sheryll
also in Farmers Branch

[Perry]

That's a tough one from still shots. I can't see the wing beats and tail shape. Wing beats are the main item I use and then check the tail to see if it supports what I'm thinking. A male sharpy and a female cooper's are easier as they are the smallest and biggest, respectively. The female sharpy and male cooper's have crossover size.

Your bird has a faint eyebrown, but it may just be a juvenile. The head seems smaller and just slightly hunched. I'm guessing a Sharp-shinned, but if I was logging it in my database I'd need to have seen the flying pattern.

Post your picture to Texbirds. There are tons of people that love to work a photo over and give you the exact bird and why.