Sharp-shinned Hawk

Overview

The sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus), also known as the northern sharp-shinned hawk or colloquially as a sharpie, is a small hawk that serves as the smallest of its type in the United States and Canada. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Males measure 23 to 30 cm in length, while females are approximately 30% longer, ranging from 29 to 37 cm.
• Adults feature short, broad wings and a medium-length tail banded in blackish and grey, with remiges that are whitish and barred blackish.
• Legs are long, very slender, and yellow, supporting a black hooked bill with a yellowish cere.
• Nominate group adults have a dark cap, blue-grey upperparts, and white underparts marked with rufous or tawny bars, whereas juveniles display dark brownish, scaly upperparts and streaked underparts.

Habitat

This species occupies a wide variety of woodland and forest environments, including those dominated by conifers and broad-leaved trees such as oaks. The nominate group is widespread across the forested regions of North America, Central America, and the Greater Antilles, with some populations migrating south to the southern United States and Mexico during winter.

Diet

These hawks primarily consume small birds, such as sparrows, wood-warblers, and wrens, capturing them by surprise from cover or while flying through dense vegetation. Males typically target smaller prey, while females pursue larger birds like robins and flickers to minimise intra-sexual competition. They occasionally exploit backyard bird feeders to access congregations of potential prey.

Did you know?

Sharp-shinned hawks are capable of hunting on the wing, having been recorded capturing bats and dragonflies during their migration. The population in the United States and Canada may now exceed historical levels, aided by the proliferation of backyard bird feeders that provide easy prey sources.