Fairly common throughout forested areas of the U.S., sharp-shinned hawks are especially conspicuous during the months of October and November as local residents are joined by migrants from the north. The smallest of our accipiters (which also include Cooper's hawks and northern goshawks), sharpies are a bit larger than crows and feed primarily on songbirds, strafing the treetops early and late in the day.
Equipped with short, powerful wings and a relatively long tail, they careen through woodlands, alternately flapping and gliding as they search for prey. Like most hawks, sharp-shins also soar overhead at mid day, riding thermals that develop as the sun warms the landscape. In fall, as their migration peaks, they may appear in flocks, circling southward along mountain ridges.
Sharp-shinned hawks generally breed in coniferous forest but are common in mixed woodlands during the colder months and frequently visit suburban areas. It is then that they benefit from human generosity; like domestic cats, they have learned that our fondness for feeding birds concentrates their prey and, at times, we lure hapless songbirds into their talons. Then again, helping to sustain the population of these attractive raptors is an acceptable side effect (not that they need our help).
