Description
Life span: Up to 5 years
Sharp-shinned hawks have deeper coloring on the crest and upper regions that range in hue from slate to bluish-gray. Their small, rounded wings are black on top and light on bottom, and their underparts are white with brown bars. Females have darker upper bodies and fewer bands on their breasts. Sharp-shinned hawks have short, dark-colored, hooked beaks and yellow legs and feet. Their tail has three to five dark stripes with a thin white stripe at the tip when it is not fanned out. Molting has no impact on how an adult looks. Compared to adults, juveniles have paler skin tones, more streaking, bars, and/or other irregularities. Sharp-shinned hawks look similar to Cooper hawks but are smaller.
Native Region/Habitat
This Sharp-shinned hawk breeds north of treeline in Alaska and Canada and winters south to Panama. It is the smallest and most migratory of our Accipiter hawks, which hunt birds. The Sharp-shin is most frequently observed in large groups during migrating, with dozens or even hundreds passing through selected locations on lakeshores, mountain ranges, and beaches.
Behavior
Sharp-shinned hawks are territorial during the breeding season. Calling, pursuing, and attacking repel intruders. Although they are typically solitary, they can be encountered in small groups when travelling. Most populations in North America migrate, and some do so over distances of 1500 kilometers. They depart their breeding areas in August and come back in March. Sharp-shinned hawks have a daily routine. They typically fly below the canopy while using their tails to steer, save for when they migrate.
As a pet/In captivity
These are rapacious wild birds, not suitable for pet ownership. They are hostile and cannot be tamed. People can go to hawk wares if they really want to witness these lone birds.
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