From Birds and Blooms · Jill Staake · · 1m 10s
How to Spot a Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Identify this small hawk's field marks, habitat, and hunting habits for backyard spotting.
In brief
Identify this small hawk's field marks, habitat, and hunting habits for backyard spotting. Sharp-shinned hawks are 10-13 inches long with blue-gray upper sides, red-orange breast bars, and white above the tail. Originally reported by Birds and Blooms.
Quick answers
- What Does a Sharp-Shinned Hawk Look Like?
- Sharp-shinned hawks are 10-13 inches long with blue-gray upper sides, red-orange breast bars, and white above the tail.
- What is the key takeaway from How to Spot a Sharp-Shinned Hawk?
- Sharp-shinned hawks are 10-13 inches long with blue-gray upper sides, red-orange breast bars, and white above the tail.
What Does a Sharp-Shinned Hawk Look Like?
Sharp-shinned hawks are 10-13 inches long with blue-gray upper sides, red-orange breast bars, and white above the tail.
Size and Shape Differences
Females are much larger than males; sharp-shinned hawks have skinny legs and small heads that often look 'tucked in'.
Hunting Behavior
These hawks hunt small to medium songbirds, which make up 90 percent of their diet, often near backyard feeders in winter.
Nesting Habits
Sharp-shinned hawks nest deep in woods, building shallow nests 1 to 2 feet across under foliage, with females incubating eggs for 30-35 days.
Fall Migration Patterns
Each fall, sharp-shinned hawks fly south to establish winter populations in the southern U.S. and Central America.
Cape May Hawkwatch
Cape May Point State Park tracks hawks daily from sunrise to 5 p.m. during Sept. 1-Nov. 30, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.
What it means
Sharp-shinned hawks are 10-13 inches long with blue-gray upper sides, red-orange breast bars, and white above the tail.
