The Field Marks JournalField marks, habitats, and bird identification

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Birds of Prey

Field cards gathered under the habitat of Birds of Prey.

Birds of Prey How to Tell a Cooper's Hawk from a Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, and kites); genus Accipiter, the bird-hawks

Cooper's Hawk: roughly 37–47 cm (15–19 in) long with a wingspan near 62–90 cm (24–35 in); Sharp-shinned Hawk: roughly 24–34 cm (9–13 in) long with a wingspan near 43–56 cm (17–22 in), females of both species noticeably larger than males

Cooper's Hawk favors mature deciduous and mixed woodlands, woodland edges, river corridors, and increasingly suburban parks and backyards. Sharp-shinned Hawk breeds in dense conifer and mixed forests, especially in northern and montane regions, and in migration and winter uses varied wooded edges, thickets, and open country with scattered trees.

Cooper's Hawk gives a loud, harsh, repeated cak-cak-cak, often faster and lower-pitched than the Sharp-shinned's. Sharp-shinned Hawk gives a high, sharp, squeaky kik-kik-kik, thinner and more rapid, sometimes described as more yipping or squealing.

Few identification puzzles frustrate backyard and woodland birders as reliably as the pair of small Accipiter hawks: the Cooper's Hawk and the Sharp-shinned Hawk. Birds of Prey Where Red-tailed Hawks Soar and What Their Scream Really Means

Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, and kites)

Length 18–26 inches (45–65 cm); wingspan 43–57 inches (110–145 cm)

Open country, roadsides, fields, deserts, and woodlands; often perches on poles and trees along highways

A harsh, descending scream: kree-eee-ar, often given in flight or while perched

The Red-tailed Hawk is one of North America's most familiar birds of prey. Birds of Prey Why the American Kestrel Hovers and How to Spot It on a Wire

Falconidae (falcons and caracaras)

Approximately 9–12 inches (23–30 cm) in length; wingspan about 20–24 inches (51–61 cm)

Open country: grasslands, meadows, agricultural fields, deserts, and urban parks; often near roadsides and utility wires

A loud, rapid 'killy-killy-killy' or 'klee-klee-klee' series, often given in flight or near the nest

The American Kestrel is North America's smallest falcon, a compact raptor that often goes unnoticed until it hovers over a grassy field or perches on a roadside wire.

Other habitats

Backyard Birds 3 field cards Birds of Prey 3 field cards Waterbirds 3 field cards Woodland Birds 3 field cards Open-Country Birds 3 field cards