Backyard Hawks

When you attract songbirds to your yard, chances are good that you will eventually attract avian predators as well. While some people don’t like the idea of hawks feeding on “their” birds, many others welcome this opportunity to see raptors up close.

Photo of Cooper’s Hawk by Carla Pforsich

by John Rakestraw

Three species of hawk are likely to be seen in town: Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, and Sharp-shinned Hawk. All three can be seen year-round, but are usually more evident during winter.

Red-tailed Hawks are the large hawks frequently seen perched on utility poles and soaring high in the air. Red-tails belong to the genus Buteo, with long broad wings and a short tail. Buteos are designed for soaring, so they are not very quick. These birds hunt by sitting on a perch, then dropping down onto their prey, usually a rodent or snake. They are not fast enough to catch small birds. Urban Red-tailed Hawks will take mice, rats, and the occasional squirrel.

Cooper’s Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks belong to the genus Accipiter. Accipiters have short rounded wings and long tails, which make them very fast and maneuverable. They make their living catching smaller birds. Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks will sometimes hunt in yards with bird feeders, taking advantage of the many small birds attracted to those areas.
IDENTIFICATION:

Red-tailed Hawk: Red-tails show a great deal of individual variation. “Typical” adult Red-tailed Hawks are dull brown above with pale mottling. The breast is light, with a band of dark streaks across the belly. The tail is rusty, giving the bird its name. Some individuals are very dark with a chestnut-colored head and breast. Others are completely blackish with white mottling in the wings and tail. Young Red-tails lack the rusty color on the tail, instead showing a light tail with fine dark barring. In all plumages, Red-tailed Hawks show a dark leading edge on the underside of the wing. No matter what they look like, Red-tailed Hawks are the “default” species of large hawk in the metro area. Unless you can see evidence to the contrary, any large hawk is likely to be this species. 

Cooper’s Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk: These two species have very similar markings, and until you have seen a lot of each species, it may be hard to differentiate the two. Adults are blue-gray above with fine rusty barring on the pale underparts. The tail has dark bands and a pale tip. Juveniles have brown upperparts with white mottling. The pale underparts show brown steaks. Below is a list of things to look for when telling these two species apart.

Size: Cooper’s Hawks are about the same size as a crow, while Sharp-shinned Hawks are about the size of a jay. Females are larger than males, so a female Sharp-shinned can be almost as large as a male Cooper’s.

Tail Shape and Pattern: The tail of a Cooper’s Hawk is long and usually rounded with a broad whitish band at the tip. The white tips wear away during the winter and may be very thin by spring. The tail on a Sharp-shinned is slightly shorter and usually square with a very thin whitish band at the tip.

Head Shape and Color: Sharp-shinned Hawks have small rounded heads. The forehead rises up from the base of the bill. Cooper’s Hawks have large flat heads, with the forehead forming a straight line with the top of the bill. Cooper’s Hawks have a dark crown which contrasts with the pale nape and cheeks. Sharp-shinned Hawks are the same color on the crown and the nape, creating a helmeted look. Sharp-shins have small eyes set back from the bill, while Cooper’s Hawks have large eyes set close to the base of the bill.

Flight Style: Both species fly with a series of flaps followed by a short glide. Sharp-shinned Hawks make shallow flaps on stiff wings. When gliding, Sharp-shins hold their wings forward, so the head barely projects beyond the front of the wings. Cooper’s Hawks flex their wings when flapping. When gliding, Cooper’s Hawks hold their wings straight out, so their head protrudes in front of the wings forming a “flying cross.”

Juvenile Markings: Young Sharp-shinned Hawks have broad dark streaks on the underparts that extend through the belly. The streaks on a Cooper’s Hawk are thinner and end before reaching the belly.

Are the Shins Sharp? If you have the chance to see an accipiter at very close range, look at the legs. Sharp-shinned Hawks get their name from their very thin legs. The legs on a Cooper’s Hawk are thicker.

Urban raptors are exciting additions to your yard list. Red-tailed Hawks are most often seen soaring over neighborhoods or perching on trees or poles at the edge of open areas. Resident crows will often alert you to the presence of a Red-tailed Hawk. Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks are often harder to spot, as they swoop in quickly to nab a bird, then disappear just as quickly. Sometimes, accipiters will perch near bird feeders to await their next meal. If the songbirds in your yard suddenly disappear or get very quiet, look around for a perching Sharp-shinned or Cooper’s Hawk.