BIRDS: NONPASSERINES: HAWKS AND EAGLES

Sharp-shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus

Family Accipitridae (Hawks and Eagles)

Size: 10–14"; females larger than males

Season: Year-round

Habitat: Woodlands, bushy areas

The sharp-shinned hawk is Colorado’s smallest accipiter, with a longish, squared tail and stubby, rounded wings. Its short wings allow for agile flight in tight, wooded quarters, where it quickly attacks small birds in flight. It is grayish above and light below, barred with pale rufous stripes. The eyes are set forward on the face to aid in the direct pursuit of prey. The juvenile is white below, streaked with brown. The sharp-shinned hawk may be confused with the larger Cooper’s hawk. The adult is illustrated.