What's This Bird?

Dogdots

This bird has been killing sparrows this winter in my backyard. Today I was actually able to see him flying around the martin house looking in the holes for sparrows. He didn't get anything, but I know he's still around as I've seen him perched in a tree across the street.

kdog

Looks like a sharp shinned hawk to me.

Dogdots

kdog wrote:

Looks like a sharp shinned hawk to me.

Never heard of a sharp shinned hawk before. Never heard of a hawk eating sparrows either

Do these birds live in town? I was just totally surprised to see it up close to the bird house poking it's head into the holes while flying around it. Of course I didn't get any photos of this. Just didn't want to see something happen so I looked away.

Dogdots

Just looked up the bird -- I think you've pinned it correctly

kdog

Yes, that's absolutely their modus-operandi. This smaller cousin of the cooper's hawk loves to hang around bird feeders and feed off the birds. You are very lucky to have this magnificent creature in your backyard to observe and photograph.

Dogdots

kdog wrote:

Yes, that's absolutely their modus-operandi. This smaller cousin of the cooper's hawk loves to hang around bird feeders and feed off the birds. You are very lucky to have this magnificent creature in your backyard to observe and photograph.

It's eating my models

I'll see if I can catch him again. This was the first time I've seen it in the back yard. It always attacked when we weren't around, but left a lot of feathers behind with a small amount of blood. Definitly wasn't afraid of me today. Saw me..and just went back again to the bird house to get a bird.

We thought there was a Coopers Hawk last summer that landed on our fence, but it must of been this bird. It has some nasty talons.

Thanks kdog for letting me know what this is

DsrtVW

It looks to be a juvenile. I have a Coopers that take care of some of the pigeons around here. Especially when they roost on my roof, more power to em.
Juveniles are harder to tell apart mostly comes down to size and tail.

Juvenile Coopers Hawk having Lunch


clean up

Dogdots

DsrtVW wrote:

It looks to be a juvenile. I have a Coopers that take care of some of the pigeons around here. Especially when they roost on my roof, more power to em.
Juveniles are harder to tell apart mostly comes down to size and tail.

Juvenile Coopers Hawk having Lunch


clean up

These are some nice photos

Pigeons...those are big birds. I've never seen a bird take down a pigeon before.

This bird wasn't afraid of me at all when I tried to shoo it away.

DsrtVW

If they are hungry and determined they do not mind us much. I have seen one take a pigeon the bird did not know what hit him. Just started raining feathers. The pigeon was sitting right on the peak of the roof and the hawk dove out of the big oak tree

Dogdots

DsrtVW wrote:

If they are hungry and determined they do not mind us much. I have seen one take a pigeon the bird did not know what hit him. Just started raining feathers. The pigeon was sitting right on the peak of the roof and the hawk dove out of the big oak tree

They must hit fast like you said. All we find is what looks like an explosion of feathers.

RxRick

Dogdots wrote:

They must hit fast like you said. All we find is what looks like an explosion of feathers.

We have a Cooper's hawk in my neighborhood. We can always tell when he's around as there is a snowstorm of feathers falling out of the elm tree on the corner. Very cool bird.

--RxRick

deb22

kdog is probably correct.My eyesight is not that great but I thought it was a prairie falcon[noticed white line above eye] then saw a little chest and looks like horizontal markings which puts it back to sharpie. You should enjoy watching this amazing bird [red eyes if it's an adult] as they are fine hawks to watch. I know eating the birdies is not pleasant to see but they need to eat and will not harm the songbird population.Give yourself a challenge and try to get a close shot you will be pleased with the beauty of them.

Dogdots

RxRick and deb22 I'll keep a look out for him again. Since he's been showing up for the last 4 months he should return again. I'll try to get a good close up photo of him catching his dinner. A few years ago I took some photos of a Red Tail Hawk eating it's catch and catching it too. Really was hard to edit those photos...kinda yucky

kdog

Dogdots wrote:

It's eating my models

Well, lose one model, gain another.

Here's one from my archives.

Dogdots

kdog wrote:

Well, lose one model, gain another.

Here's one from my archives.

Your right kdog...the models just change Great photo...hopefully I'll be able to get a photo like this soon.