Eyes are dark red. First, the bird is an adult because of the blue-gray upper parts vs. the brown … Sharp-shinned hawk Scientific Name. Several people have speculated if the bird is a sharp-shinned or Coooper's hawk. The sharp-shinned hawk is very similar in coloration to its cousin, the Cooper’s hawk. Accipiters fly by flapping their wings a few times, then gliding with wings flat or slightly bowed, then flapping a few more times. The Cooper’s hawk is a larger bird, 14 to 20 inches in length. The last video shows an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk feeding. Accipiter striatus. Young Cooper's Hawk has a brown back, long banded tail and brown streaks on a light chest. Wings are short and rounded. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) Glen and Martha Vargas @ Calfornia Academy of Science Found throughout the forested regions of North America through Central America into Argentina and Brazil. Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) resemples the Sharp-shinned Hawk, but is a heavier, more deliberate flier. Range. Sharp-shinned Hawk: Small hawk with blue-gray upperparts and rufous bars on white underparts.

Sharp-shinned Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawks have a slate gray back, dark head, and red barring on the chest.

One of the toughest identification challenges involves separating Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks. Often soars on thermals. Long barred tail with white, rounded tip. Sharp-shinned Hawk Identification. Identifying Characteristics. The tail of the sharp-shinned hawk is squared instead of rounded. It has a more rounded tail tip with broad white band across the tip, compared to the square-tipped tail and thin white band of the sharp-shinned hawk. The sharp-shinned hawk usually evidences a slimmer, slighter look, with more dainty features, and has relatively longer wings and a shorter and more squared tail with a much thinner white tip. Tail is long and squared with heavy bars. Very similar to the Cooper’s hawk, but about one-third smaller.

Flight consists of rapid wing beats followed by a short glide. Legs and feet are yellow.