Help with a Hawk ID please?

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 02, 2007 12:49 pm

This little guy has been picking off my feeder birds for the last 2 weeks with regularity about 3-4 days. Not a fun thing to watch, especialy when he takes nearly 2 hours to devour his catch right here in a garden!

I'm thinking it's a Sharp-shinned Hawk, while dh thinks he's a Cooper's. As for the size.......hmmm....hard to figure. I'm thinking Mourning Dove or larger. He's eaten one mourning dove in this location a week ago and yesterday it was a Starling (cool beans I say, but.........) I told him as soon as he sticks with the starlings and leaves my mourners alone, we'll get along, but alas.......he's leaving the grounds littered with the aftermath!

So? Any opinions out there? There are small white tips on the tail feathers. Sorry the pics aren't any better! I was fighting the blizzard and a cat attempting to slither out the window while I took the pics!

Minnow · Post by **Minnow** » Mar 02, 2007 1:01 pm

My bet is on the Sharp-shinned hawk! Cool beans is right about the starlings. They are noisy & messy & they compete with all the other cavitiy nesters for a space.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 02, 2007 1:04 pm

I agree. Most years we only see them 2 times for a week each time. Spring and fall on their ways to the farmlands, but dang, they've been showing up once a week and wrecking havocs with the suets and such! Nasty and messy is right!

Thanks for the opine! One mark for my choice!

nanny_56 · Post by **nanny_56** » Mar 02, 2007 2:51 pm

Sharpie, alright!

Claudia

petal*pusher · Post by **petal*pusher** » Mar 02, 2007 6:38 pm

He's a beauty all right! At first I thought he resembled an American Kestrel or "Sparrow Hawk" that are abundant around here.......they are very much alike in appearance and size.

We have several hawks of different varieties who make regular visits to our feeders also

(just hope they are helping themselves to those pesky English sparrows!)......p

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Mar 02, 2007 8:46 pm

Thanks Ladies, I'm pretty sure that's what he is also. He's got a large wingspan, but as yet have caught him in flight, he's so fast and swoops through the vines like a madman after the little guys! He's quick. Which is most likely making the Doves easy prey. I can't believe he eats an entire one in one setting, or over the two hours. I swear I saw him picking his teeth afterward. The starling he dragged under the spruce protection b/c the freezing rain started. I was surprised one of the feral cats didn't get him under there, but.........

Thanks again for you help! I'll check out the American Kestrel or "Sparrow Hawk in my books, thanks again!

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Mar 07, 2007 9:53 am

My goodness, Jane! I hope that section of your garden isn't visible from your dining room window!! What an unappetizing site!!

He's majestic looking and I'll bet it's interesting to watch him swoop down for his prey, but I sure wouldn't want to watch him devour it afterwards. Ewwwwww

Ed_B · Post by **Ed_B** » Mar 07, 2007 1:11 pm

Hi

It's either a Sharp-shinned, prefers Coniferous forest, or a Cooper's Hawk, which prefers Deciduous forest, both eat birds

The Cooper's is larger, crow sized, Sharp-shinned is Jay sized

I have a picture of a Cooper's perched on my deck looking for birds.