Can you help ID this bird please?
- Thread starter Marilynne
- Start date
Re: Can Anyone Identify this Bird?
Not sure about the type of hawk although I"m leaning towards a young Cooper's Hawk. It was very lanky (thin) for its height although not as tall as the Cooper's Hawks I've seen in the past. In a FB group, one person said Cooper's Hawk while another said Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Not a great pic by any means. I arrived home with my camera turned off and in its bag when I saw it. By the time I got my camera out and turned on, it first flew to a telephone pole before flying off when I raised the camera. Heavy crop to boot.
Not sure about the type of hawk although I"m leaning towards a young Cooper's Hawk. It was very lanky (thin) for its height although not as tall as the Cooper's Hawks I've seen in the past. In a FB group, one person said Cooper's Hawk while another said Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Not a great pic by any means. I arrived home with my camera turned off and in its bag when I saw it. By the time I got my camera out and turned on, it first flew to a telephone pole before flying off when I raised the camera. Heavy crop to boot.
Re: Can Anyone Identify this Bird?
Looks like a Red Shouldered Hawk.
Not sure about the type of hawk although I"m leaning towards a young Cooper's Hawk. It was very lanky (thin) for its height although not as tall as the Cooper's Hawks I've seen in the past. In a FB group, one person said Cooper's Hawk while another said Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Not a great pic by any means. I arrived home with my camera turned off and in its bag when I saw it. By the time I got my camera out and turned on, it first flew to a telephone pole before flying off when I raised the camera. Heavy crop to boot.
View attachment 324365
Looks like a Red Shouldered Hawk.
Re: Can Anyone Identify this Bird?
Sharpie ( as we call them on the migration when calling them out for counts)
Not sure about the type of hawk although I"m leaning towards a young Cooper's Hawk. It was very lanky (thin) for its height although not as tall as the Cooper's Hawks I've seen in the past. In a FB group, one person said Cooper's Hawk while another said Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Not a great pic by any means. I arrived home with my camera turned off and in its bag when I saw it. By the time I got my camera out and turned on, it first flew to a telephone pole before flying off when I raised the camera. Heavy crop to boot.
View attachment 324365
Sharpie ( as we call them on the migration when calling them out for counts)
[MENTION=10762]Kevin H[/MENTION] you've been very helpful in identifying hawks on a couple of occasions for me. These are all photos taken over the past couple of years. Can you help ID or confirm what types of hawks they are? For some reason, I've always been under the impression that Cooper's Hawks are larger than Red-Tailed Hawks, but from what I just read in a comparison, that isn't correct. Supposedly it is the Red-Tailed Hawks that are larger.
This one looks very similar to the Red-Tailed Hawk you ID'd for me earlier today. Is this a Red-Tailed Hawk?
Both of the following 2 hawks are more slender. Are both of these Cooper's Hawks? I am under the impression that Cooper's Hawks are more tubular (whereas the first pic is a chubby little bugger). The first hawk below has blood on it because it killed a pigeon but I chased it away to the tree.
This one looks very similar to the Red-Tailed Hawk you ID'd for me earlier today. Is this a Red-Tailed Hawk?
Both of the following 2 hawks are more slender. Are both of these Cooper's Hawks? I am under the impression that Cooper's Hawks are more tubular (whereas the first pic is a chubby little bugger). The first hawk below has blood on it because it killed a pigeon but I chased it away to the tree.
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Agreed for sure on the Coopers. It can be tricky to differentiate between Cooper and Sharp-shinned Hawks at time as they behave very similarly and go after the same prey. Easiest way to tell is in flight as the Coopers' tail is rounded and the Sharp-shinned is in a straight line. Perched, the juvenile Cooper has more defined striping on the chest, as if painted with a fine brush, exactly like this one. Tougher to tell when they're mature.
First is tougher to say for sure because of the squat stance and hidden tail, but the white bib under the head definitely points to a young red-tailed as said.
Thanks, Roy. :encouragement:
Thanks again for specific differences, Jake! There seem to be a few different hawk varieties around here so I really need to learn more about them. I appreciate the details!
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Re: Can Anyone Identify this Bird?
Most certainly a Cooper's Hawk. In flight the tail of the Cooper's will form an arch, the tail of a Sharpie will be straight across. Easiest way to tell them apart. Also the head is extended beyond the wings, where a Sharpie's will generally be in line with the leading edge.
Not sure about the type of hawk although I"m leaning towards a young Cooper's Hawk. It was very lanky (thin) for its height although not as tall as the Cooper's Hawks I've seen in the past. In a FB group, one person said Cooper's Hawk while another said Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Not a great pic by any means. I arrived home with my camera turned off and in its bag when I saw it. By the time I got my camera out and turned on, it first flew to a telephone pole before flying off when I raised the camera. Heavy crop to boot.
View attachment 324365
Most certainly a Cooper's Hawk. In flight the tail of the Cooper's will form an arch, the tail of a Sharpie will be straight across. Easiest way to tell them apart. Also the head is extended beyond the wings, where a Sharpie's will generally be in line with the leading edge.
Re: Can Anyone Identify this Bird?
I read the specific differences between a Cooper's Hawk and a Sharpie in the link you provided elsewhere. The tail isn't notched and its head seems to protrude further from its wrists which is indicative of a Cooper's Hawk.
But I decided to plug the info into the Merlin Bird ID app to see how they'd ID it. While both a Sharpie and Cooper's Hawk came up as possibilities, apparently a Sharpie is uncommon in this area. So it does seem to be a Cooper's Hawk based on location as well as the tail and head/wrist relationship.
I read the specific differences between a Cooper's Hawk and a Sharpie in the link you provided elsewhere. The tail isn't notched and its head seems to protrude further from its wrists which is indicative of a Cooper's Hawk.
But I decided to plug the info into the Merlin Bird ID app to see how they'd ID it. While both a Sharpie and Cooper's Hawk came up as possibilities, apparently a Sharpie is uncommon in this area. So it does seem to be a Cooper's Hawk based on location as well as the tail and head/wrist relationship.
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Re: Can Anyone Identify this Bird?
It's odd that it's listed as uncommon, but with declining songbird populations it seems that Coopers Hawks are now targeting Sharpies and Kestrals leading to the decline in their populations as well. We see them both here but the Cooper's have become far more prevalent in the last 4-5 years.
It's odd that it's listed as uncommon, but with declining songbird populations it seems that Coopers Hawks are now targeting Sharpies and Kestrals leading to the decline in their populations as well. We see them both here but the Cooper's have become far more prevalent in the last 4-5 years.