The Sharp-shinned Hawk

Mar 10, 2011

by  Lorraine Julien

The Sharpshin (sometimes called “Sharpie” or “Bullet hawk”) hunts in quiet woodlands through most of Canada and the U.S. It eats rodents, frogs, snakes and insects but prefers small birds and may even attack young poultry.

The Sharpshin (Accipiter striatus) is the smallest of the North American raptors except for the Tiny Hawk, which inhabits the southernmost areas of the continent. A Sharpshin may be small but it is the fiercest hunter in this Accipiter family. It might be mistaken for the slightly larger Cooper’s Hawk, which has similar plumage. Another close relative is the Goshawk.

The Sharpshin’s short, rounded wings and long, squarish tail allow it to make abrupt turns and lightning fast dashes in thick woods and dense shrubbery. Average length of a male is about 28 cm with a wingspan about 58 cm; however, females are noticeably larger. Males hunt smaller birds such as Sparrows and Wood-warblers while females may hunt Robins, Blue Jays or even Ruffed Grouse!

This hawk has a small head with reddish brown crossbars on the underside and bluish gray upperparts. There are also heavy dark bars on the underside of the tail. The legs and feet are yellow. Its high-pitched call sounds like “kiu, kiu, kiu”. All Accipiters fly by flapping their wings a few times, then gliding with wings flat or slightly bowed, then flapping again.

Its needle-like talons, long toes and long, spindly legs make it adept at capturing birds, even species larger than itself. In fact, its name is derived from those thin spindly legs. This little hawk may perch for hours in a nearby pine watching for prey when suddenly, down he swoops beating his wings, then gliding until he brakes by using his tail. The sharp talons sink in quickly and the kill is quick.

Prey is often plucked clean of feathers before being eaten or fed to nestlings. The well-hidden nest is usually made of twigs and bark pieces built in the crotch of a conifer or large broad-leaved tree such as an oak. Four or five eggs hatch in about 35 days. After fledglings leave the nest, Sharpshins have been known to feed their young while in mid-air. Food is tossed into the air for the young to catch, thus honing their skills.

Bill Bowick of Sharbot Lake submitted the accompanying photo - one of many he took in early February this year while observing this thrilling hunter in action. This hawk must have forgotten to fly south with the rest of his kin. Though most Sharpshins fly south as far as Panama, some do winter in more temperate southern areas of Canada and the northern U.S. When migrating, the hunter becomes the hunted as Sharpshin adults may be preyed on by larger raptors, especially the Peregrine Falcon.

In North America, this bird declined in numbers during the 1960s and 1970s, most likely because of the use of pesticides such as DDT. Populations have now rebounded to the point that they are one of the most numerous raptors in Canada and the U.S. This resurgence is probably due to a combination of the ban on DDT and the proliferation of backyard feeders, which provide easy pickings.

Like many predators, Sharpshins usually catch weaker or sick birds in the feeder area, thus leaving the stronger healthier birds to reproduce. Though you may see this bird at your feeder, remember it is there to catch one of the birds, not to eat seeds!

Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.