"Cooper's and Sharp-shinned hawks pose a real ID challenge, even for longtime birders. Throughout the year, there is great variation in plumage and in size for these two species. They look so much alike that no single field mark stands out to help bird watchers easily tell one from the other."
I don’t think a passing bald eagle or even an infrequently soaring hawk would cause birds to shy away from feeding areas for any length of time. A sudden local shortage of birds can result from a frequent, unwelcome visit from a resident hawk. When a sharp-shinned or Cooper’s hawk appears on the scene, birds appear to “freeze” without any movement and can remain motionless for as long as a half-hour.
It was winter when the sharp-shinned hawk first showed up near the bird feeder.
Good article about the sharp-shinned hawk.
Just the other day I looked out the window to find a sharp-shinned hawk at my feeder. Its interests were the same. It could not have cared less about the suet or sunflower seeds.
Excellent article about raptors.
Raptors – hawks, eagles, owls and falcons – are one of more common yet least known wildlife inhabitants of Falls Church City. The Cooper’s hawk and its smaller cousin, the Sharp-shinned hawk, are occasionally seen hanging out near bird feeders in our suburban back yards.
This is an interesting article about another predator for small birds. Watch for them at your bird feeder.
Short-tailed shrews are abundant and widespread in the Eastern U.S. They inhabit both deciduous and coniferous forests as well as old fields, thickets and hay fields. Their only habitat requirement seems to be a thick layer of leaf litter that keeps the surface of the ground moist. The thick mat of sunflower hulls under feeders certainly qualifies.
Nice video with a sharp-shinned hawk.
Looking out my home office window, I watched this awesome rapter, the sharp-shinned hawk, tenaciously walk around a bush near my bird feeder where two sparrows were hiding.
