I can't get a 100% ID on this but my response would be exactly what you stated (juvenile Sharpie) for the same reasons you stated (other than the capped head/ light nape of the neck, which is not relevant in juvies).

I'll look for your flickr account for more photos (maybe some of the tail?) but this is looking Sharpie to me.

Thanks, TMFF; it's good to know I'm thinking in the right direction. This was a lot of drama right outside my kitchen window today.

I picked what I thought were the most representative photos - unfortunately, not much of the tail, - but maybe you'll see something else.

Thanks again,
Claire

And today's hawk is... maybe the same sharpie? It landed on the rose just outside my kitchen window and only stayed for a minute or less - just enough time for me to grab the camera which was close by. My impression was that the hawk was smaller than the usual Cooper's I see here, but that's hard to judge.

This is the best shot I got of the tail; not very good

Full face but without the breast.

Profile. Head is maybe more rounded than the Cooper's here.

The back is brown, not gray, so I figured it's a juvenile, but there's no obvious cap with a lighter nape if it happens to be an adult.

When it took off I got the only look at the belly which looks more like an adult with a barred pattern. A lousy shot but the bird didn't cooperate.

Today is the first day of my Project FeederWatch weekly count so I also emailed PFW with the pics.

Just for comparison with a juvenile Cooper's Hawk, this pic was taken on 11/25/11 in the same position outside my kitchen window.

Claire

This post was edited by claire on Mon, Mar 11, 13 at 15:49

I couldn't argue if you thought this was the same bird as a few days ago. Looks the same. Still thinking Sharpie, definitely juvenile. But with some upgrades: the iris is darkening to reddish, and that action shot shows the underparts to look like they're resembling the adult orange-barred pattern. It hasn't molted to the slate grey upperparts yet. The bird you photographed a couple of days ago shows the same marks.

Thanks, TMFF. It's very subjective but the Sharpie somehow doesn't seem to have the commanding ferocity of the Cooper's I see here. Still a very dangerous hawk to smaller birds, but it's not on the top of the food chain.

I read somewhere that Cooper's Hawks will hunt at dawn and dusk, but Sharpies don't because they're prey to owls. I have no idea if this is true but it makes sense.

Claire

Note: I just googled "Sharp-shinned hawk prey to owl" and got a couple of reports of a Barred Owl and an Eastern Screech Owl killing Sharpies.

This post was edited by claire on Mon, Mar 11, 13 at 17:56

Yeah, it's a bird-eat-bird world out there. The mack-daddy of all N. American birds of prey- the Great-horned Owl- will eat birds up to and including Red-tailed Hawks. No one is safe (except for the GHOW, but even their young are vulnerable to becoming hawk prey).

It would take a brave hawk indeed to mess with a Great-horned.

An Eastern Screech taking down a Sharpie, however; that is impressive. Accipiters are most agile in flight and I would think one could dodge an owl easily. But owls have silent flight and good camouflage.

Very cool!

This post was edited by TMFF on Mon, Mar 11, 13 at 20:19

Since I brought up Great-horned Owls, check this out. I think she was on to me.

I wouldn't get too close to that owl nest, TMFF, particularly if there are owlets to protect.

I've never even seen an owl, although I heard several Great Horned Owls hooting one night.

Claire

LOL, don't worry Claire. This nest borders a busy road where I stopped, walked, and photographed with a zoom to verify the nest, and left.

I know of several of them. Owlets haven't hatched yet. I'm quite mindful of their space out of respect. Plus, they would kick my rear and I know it. Seriously, though, I don't want to discourage their return to these nests in the future. GHOWs take over other raptor nests (usually Red-tailed Hawks) which keep them out in the open, on field edges, easy to find. We have had a lot of new construction which worries me for their sake.

This post was edited by TMFF on Tue, Mar 12, 13 at 14:57

TMFF:

Even a great horned owl occasionally meets its master. I stumbled across this while I was looking for something about this owl.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bald Eagle Taking Great Horned Owl

Looks like GW took out the spam post but also took out TMFF's follow-up. TMFF said (per my email copy)

chescobob- wow! Epic battle of the Greats! I too read about a GHOW going down by way of eagle (Golden Eagle this time) but went down fighting. Left some pretty good talon punctures in the eagle's chest. GHOWs mean business!

Thanks for reporting that Claire. Spam, ugh.

TMFF

You're the best, Claire!