Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Scientific classification :

Kingdom : Animalia

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Aves

Order : Accipitriformes

Family : Accipitridae

Genus : Accipiter

Species : A. striatus

This bird is native to North America. It is not a traditional bird in falconry as it does not exist in the wild in Europe, but it has been used for falconry. The Sharp-Shinned Hawk is named for the thin ridge which runs along the bird's long legs, or tarsus, giving the appearance of a "sharp shin". The female will have a flying weight from, roughly, 150g to 220g. 

Plumage 

The immature Sharpie is a creamy white with small brown splotches looking like they have been dotted with a paint brush down their chest. The wings have parallel stripes running the length of them - all in a tan and brown coloring which blends with the landscape they live in. The immature bird has yellow eyes which will turn orange and then red through the years. The adult Sharpie has reddish-brown bars across the chest and a dark head extending down the nape of the neck. The tail has several wide bands across it. The back, wings, and tail are a blue-gray. 

Morphology 

The body form of the Sharp-Shin is marked by a long tail. The tail acts as a rudder to steer the bird during their quick forward flight and acceleration. Contrast that with the soaring Red-Tail, the Accipiters in general need a longer tail for their flight style. The Sharp-Shin and the Cooper's hawk are sometimes confused. If looking at the two in profile, the Cooper's will be slightly larger and have the appearance of a flater head and a more pronounced brow. The Sharp-Shin will have a more rounded head and a less pronounced brow. The Sharp-Shin also have a more square tail while the Cooper's appears much more rounded. This hawk displays the most pronounced sexual dimorphism of any of the hawks with the female being considerably larger than the male. The male will be the size of a typical Robin. If using a neck bell on this bird, the neck bell tie should be the diameter of a dime. 

Hunting 

Typical quarry caught with the Sharpie will be small birds such a sparrows and starlings. In the wild they catch finches and various songbirds, as well. This bird can be hunted almost anywhere as there is plenty of quarry for it. Most all the hunting is up close so the falconer really gets to see the flights. 

Nesting

Nest a substantial platform of large, often fresh, twigs broken from conifer branches, placed on horizontal limb in dense tree at a height of 6 - 18 meters (20 - 60 feet). Center lined with bark chips. Nests built in mature trees against trunk, supported by one or more large branches and generally shaded from above. Males may show a high degree of territory fidelity, with several old nests located within a small area. Males assist in building the nest. Old nests of Cooper's Hawks, crows, and other species may be refurbished and reused.

Trivia 

The Sharp-shin is commonly referred to as the Sharpie. The male Sharp-Shin will fly at about 100g while the female Sharp-Shin will fly at around 170g. For its size, this bird has the largest foot of any of the birds used in falconry. The Sharpie is one of the birds more prone to apoplexy, and has a high metabolism. It is a delicate, high-strung bird that is difficult to manage.