Some Call Me Épervier de Cooper

I look like a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. Can you tell us apart?

Music changed to avoid copyright issues

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• cooper's
• hawk
• Épervier
• halcón
• raptor
• wildlife
• bird
• nature
• halcon
• Ésmerejón

[whitewater284]

Something about the shape of the tip of the tail i remember reading in a falconers study guide one is rounded and one is flat like a rectangle thats all i can remember on how to tell besides size

[MyWildlifeVideos]

@whitewater284 I have trouble identifying them when they are flying, even with binoculars. I want them to stand still for me! ;)

[silverleapers]

Almost impossible to tell sharpies and coopers apart unless you have something for a size scale and get a lot of good looks at them (size scale like the pigeon which sharpies wouldn't likely kill). Coopers hawks heads stick out past the wrist in flight unlike a sharpie.

General rule - if it is bigger than a blue jay its a coops. What do you use to tell them apart, as this is a nasty and tricky thing to accomplish even for biologists, falconers, and breeders that see them both regularly.

[MyWildlifeVideos]

Absolutely true! I have a hard time identifying them when they are perching, let alone when they are flying. Many a friendship between birders has been tested when it comes to identifying a bird!

[darkangel33333333333]

there are 3 differences

1) Coopers are larger than Sharpies a male Cooper may be about the same size as a female Sharpie because females are larger than males.

2) Coopers have a crest on the top of their head Sharpies do not

3) When flying Coopers have a c-shaped tail Sharpies have a straight tail giving it a sharp look

I do wonder a few of your pictures look like a Northern Harrier though which can be mistaken for Coopers and Sharp-shinned hawks

[temp24Lno5]

Superb collection of photos!

[Cheyenne17124]

@whitewater284 Coop is curved. Sharp-shinned has a sharp notch in the base of the tail. That's how I remember. But they are incredibly difficult to tell. A small male coop and large female sharpie can look very similar. God had a goofy sense of humor when he made the accipiters.

[afffred]

I find coopers have a flatter top-of-head, so to speak (especialy males because of the darker top-of-head...is there a real word for that??). And your blue jay trick isn't that good. Females sharpies get bigger than blue jays!

[SBfledgling]

A great collage of this fine bird. Thanks for posting. The pictures of the very young ones are my favorites.

SBfledgling

[candnrg]

Oh yeah. He's more robust. See it in the neck and chest. They raid our bird feeders here. I still love 'em... raised one.

Fun fact filled show here ...and GREAT pictures!