Look-Alike Hawks

Is this a Sharp-Shinned Hawk or Cooper’s Hawk?

Accipiter striatus or Accipiter cooperii?

It could be either of these two small hawk species. Both are identical in coloration. Both have small heads, yellow eyes, and long tails. To complicate matters further, they both occur in the same habitats and display similar behaviors. That means that even the experts have trouble distinguishing. Here are more pictures of this individual, taken in February.

I believe this is a female Cooper’s Hawk, about the size of a crow, and not a smaller sized male. A “Sharpie,” short for Sharp-shinned Hawk, would have a dark hood covering her head and neck rather than a cap. Here are photos of Sharpies…

Recently, I encountered a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, perched on a utility pole near the beach on Bogue Banks. Compared to an adult, his plumage was streaky rather than striped, plus there’s the white belly.

Am I absolutely positive about my identifications? Well, maybe not. But naming has less value to me than simply getting acquainted with an unfamiliar bird and marveling at its beauty.

Reaching for the heavens…

I am the hawk and there’s blood in my feathers,
but time is still turning, they soon will be dry.
And all of those who see me, all who believe in me,
Share in the freedom I feel when I fly.
Come dance with the west wind and touch on the mountain tops,
Sail over the canyons and up to the stars,
And reach for the heavens and hope for the future,
And all that we can be and not what we are.

Lyrics from a John Denver song.

Here are related bird posts to visit:

• Rooftop Eagle >>
• Backyard Hawk >>
• Great Horned Owls: First Encounter >>
• Great Horned Owl Nestlings >>