Even though Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks are both common backyard birds, for many of us identifying them can prove a challenge. In this post I’m going to discuss how to separate Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks.
Hopefully after you have read this you will have a better handle on how separate these birds.
Structure
Because these two hawks look very similar, the structure of the bird is usually the best way to separate them.
The best field mark that I will discuss is size.
Size
A Cooper’s hawk should be about the same size as of a Red-shouldered Hawk, while a Sharp-shinned Hawk should a little larger than a Merlin. Size can give you a good indicator about what species you are looking at, but you should never use it alone because both species frequently overlap each other in size.
The next field mark that I will discuss is the tail shape.
Tail Shape
This is one of the best field marks for separating Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks. On a Cooper’s Hawk, the tail should be rounded at the end, while a Sharp-shinned Hawk’s tail should appear squared at the end.
Even though this is one of the best field marks to use, it is useless when birds are molting because the molt can affect the shape of the bird’s tail.
Another field mark that involves the structure of the bird is the size of the legs.
Size of the Legs
In a Cooper’s Hawk the legs should be much thicker than a Sharp-shinned’s, which should be about pencil size. Because you really only can get a good look at the legs when they are perched, this field mark should be left to use only when these birds are perched.
The last important field mark that involves structure of these bird is the head shape.
Head Shape
On a Cooper’s hawk the head should be large and have a squared feel to it. Also, on the nape of the bird (especially females) a lot of times there will be some white on it.
Next, the Sharp-shinned Hawk has a rather small head and this will create a rounded feel to it.
While these field marks may not work by themselves using these field marks together can help you separate these two hawks apart.
Immature Birds
When identifying the immature birds of these two species you can use the same field marks that you can use separating the adults; however, the streaking of these two birds is a little different in the immature plumage.
Immature Cooper’s Hawks tend to have long, thin dark streaks that run down the breast, while on a Sharp-shinned Hawk, the streaks tend to be a warmer brown color that are smaller and messier on the breast. This feature in these immature birds is a good field mark in separating these two species.
Birds in Flight
I tend to think these birds are easier to identify in flight than when perched, but that’s just my opinion.
When trying to separate these birds in flight, a Cooper’s hawk will hold his wings rather straight, while a Sharp-shinned Hawk will push his wings forward. Also, in flight Cooper’s hawk tends to flap his wings a lot like a buteo would (heavy powerful strokes), while a Sharp-shinned Hawk flaps his a lot like a falcon would (quick weaker strokes).
Size can also be a helpful clue in identifying these birds in flight, but again that should be used with some caution.
Overall, these are the best field marks to use when separating these hawks in flight.
I hope that you have learned something from this post and you now have a better handle on how to separate Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks in the field. I encourage you to gain experience in separating these hawks apart because experience will make you better and better at separating these hawks.
Good Birding,
-Landon