Sharp-Shinned Hawk

(Accipiter striatus)

Compiled by Lisa S. Graham. 

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small forest raptor known for its lightning-fast flight and surprise attacks on smaller birds. Often glimpsed darting through backyard trees or streaking along woodland edges, this compact hawk is North America’s smallest hawk species and a powerful predator.

Sharp-shinned Hawks are slim-bodied and long-tailed, measuring about 9 to 14 inches long, with short, rounded wings adapted for maneuvering through dense vegetation. Adults have blue-gray upperparts, a pale underside finely barred with thin rufous stripes, and a squared-off tail with dark bands. The eyes in adults are bright red snd yellow-orange in juveniles. Juveniles are brown above with vertical streaking on a pale chest, giving them a distinctly different appearance from adults. Females are noticeably larger than males which can make the sexes appear like separate species.

These hawks are secretive and often difficult to spot when perched, spending much of their time within forests or along wooded edges. They are most often noticed during sudden bursts of pursuit, accelerating through trees with rapid wingbeats followed by short glides. Sharp-shinned Hawks are especially well-known at backyard bird feeders, where they hunt songbirds. Outside the breeding season, they are generally solitary, becoming more visible during spring and fall migrations when they travel long distances, sometimes in impressive numbers.

Their diet consists almost entirely of small birds, though they will occasionally take rodents, lizards, or large insects. Using stealth rather than soaring, Sharp-shinned Hawks rely on speed, surprise, and agility to ambush prey. They may launch attacks from concealed perches or rush suddenly into flocks, using tight turns and quick acceleration to capture their target.

Sharp-shinned Hawks nest deep within coniferous or mixed forests, often choosing dense stands that provide concealment. Nests are built of loosely arranged sticks high in trees. The female lays typically 3 to 5 bluish-white eggs and handles most of the incubation, while the male provides food. After hatching, both parents feed the growing chicks. These hawks raise a single brood per year, and young birds typically disperse widely after fledging.

Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper’s Hawks are often confused, but several field marks help tell them apart. Sharp-shinned Hawks are smaller and more compact, with thinner legs, a smaller head that barely projects beyond the wings in flight, and a squared-off tail tip. Cooper’s Hawks are larger and bulkier, with a noticeably big head, thicker legs, and a longer, more rounded tail with a wider white tip.  This article provides additional guidance on telling these two raptors apart.

Some fun facts about the Sharp-shinned Hawk:

• Sharp-shinned Hawks are named for their extremely thin legs, which are well adapted for grabbing small, agile prey.
• Females can be nearly twice the size of males, allowing pairs to hunt differently sized prey.
• These hawks are among the most frequently banded raptors due to their abundance at migration watch sites.
• Their short, rounded wings and long tail make them some of the most agile fliers in the hawk world.

Sources include All About Birds (Cornell), Audubon Field Guide, and Wild Birds Unlimited.   Photo credit:  David McQuade, Macaulay Library.