Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Smaller, faster cousin of the Cooper's. The accipiter that fits through a hedge.

Population: Approximately 1,000,000 individuals (Partners in Flight estimate, cited via Audubon field guide); not independently re-verified against a live Partners in Flight or BirdLife DataZone page this session
Habitat: Coniferous and mixed deciduous forests, woodland edges and thickets; also uses suburban and agricultural areas near bird feeders
Fun fact: Sharp-shinned Hawks are the smallest hawks in North America and show marked reversed sexual size dimorphism, with females noticeably larger than males; during fall migration, dozens to hundreds can stream past coastal points and mountain ridge hawk-watch sites in a single day.
Range: North America (Alaska/Canada south through the US and Mexico) through Central America, the Greater Antilles, and South America to northern Argentina; northern populations migratory, southern populations largely resident
Diet: Primarily small songbirds (sparrow- to robin-sized, e.g. sparrows, warblers, finches, wrens, nuthatches, thrushes), occasionally larger prey up to quail/ruffed-grouse size; also takes small mammals, bats, lizards, frogs, snakes, and large insects
Size: 0.3 m
Wingspan: 0.55 m
Lifespan: 13 years

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