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Accipiter striatus
A jay-sized woodland hawk with a small head, squared tail, and pencil-thin legs.
Small, rounded head that barely projects past the wings in flight
Tail tip squared or notched, with a narrow white edge
Dark hood running evenly down the nape, without a capped contrast
Very slender legs — the 'sharp shins' of the name
Dense woodland and forest edge, moving through yards and parks especially in migration and winter.
Flies with quick, snappy flaps between short glides, threading through cover after small songbirds. Migrates in numbers along ridges and coastlines.
Cooper's hawks are larger with a blocky, far-projecting head, a rounded tail tip, and a capped crown. No single mark is decisive — combine head projection, tail shape, and proportions.
Watch from a distance and keep clear of nests. As with any accipiter, brief views are common; record uncertainty rather than forcing an identification.
No danger to people. Leave injured raptors to a licensed rehabilitator.
Widespread, with populations that rebounded after DDT-era declines; migration counts are a long-running way of tracking them.
Sources are linked below. Field marks vary with age, sex, season, region, light, and viewing distance.
Ardea herodias
North America’s largest heron, a patient hunter with broad wings and a daggerlike bill.
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Turdus migratorius
A familiar thrush that hunts on lawns and sings clear, rising and falling phrases.
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Zenaida macroura
A slender tan dove known for a long pointed tail, soft cooing, and whistling wings.
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