Sharp-shinned Hawk or Cooper's Hawk?
How do you think you did? Telling these two birds apart can be very tricky and gets more tricky with the immatures.
1.) Answer-Adult Cooper's Hawk
This is a quick shot I got in my backyard. At first, I thought it was a Sharp-shinned because it was pretty small bird. Then when I looked at it closer, I saw the black cap, less color on the breast, and more rounded feathers of the Cooper's Hawk.
2.) Answer- Juvenile Cooper's Hawk
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| photo credit: Manjith Kainickara/Wikimedia Commons |
The larger head, larger legs, larger body and thin streaking on the breast all help to identify this one as a juvenile Cooper's Hawk.
3.) Answer- Adult Sharp-shinned Hawk
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| photo credit: Michael/Wikimedia Commons |
4.) Answer- Juvenile Cooper's Hawk
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| photo credit: H. Gilbert Miller/Wikimedia Commons
The "capped" head, larger head, rounded tail feathers and larger legs help to ID this one as a Cooper's Hawk. The yellow eyes make it not quite an adult though it appears to have all of the adult plumage.
5.) Answer- Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk |
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| photo credit: Cuatrok/Wikimedia Commons
The smaller body, smaller head, and skinner "Sharp-Shinned" look where they get their name help ID this one as a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk.
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