Northern Goshawk I believe. They can be aggressive during nesting season!

Sharp-shinned or Coopers hawk…hard to tell them apart but from the body size my guess is a coopers hawk…they are large of the two. Great picture thanks for sharing.

Coopers Hawk. Sharp Shinned hawks are smaller, jay sized and a bit more pigeon shaped around the ‘shoulders’.

Coops are one of my favorite birds. Great pic.

Love those raptors, although they’ve decimated our small game population as to make small game hunting a farce! Still love seeing the hawks!

That banded tail should be key to those who know. I once did, but memory fades… not a clue. Since they migrate, you could have numerous Western or mountain critters already down your way, eh? Or a local?

Anything that can catch a dove is QUICK!

Cooper’s hawk, juvenile. The adults have red eyes, a slate blue-grey crown, and lack the white spotting on the back. Great pic, and a great breakfast guest.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Ben Franklin said that Genius is “knowing where to find the answer!”

In this case, Ben, you’re a genius!

And the range year round is all over the US! Sweet!

I read that link, but I wonder if t hat is what is also known here in the East as a “goshawk” or “grouse hawk”.

I’ve seen them bustin thru hemlock after grouse like an F16!

1shot,

You ARE living the dream, my friend… 🙂 Living the dream!

Kudos!

Yup, Coopers Hawk! Well, I do know the difference between a pine and an oak:oops:

You would know the difference instantly if a Northern goshawk hit you in the back of the head, which is a not uncommon occurrence in these parts. It’s a significantly bigger bird and notorious for being a fierce defender of its nesting area.

We were a lot younger and spent a lot of time in the hemlock woods in winter hunting grouse 2nd season after Christmas.

One come busting thru and dove into a snowbank…behind it blasted a raptor with snow flying everywhere….it landed in a tree just like that…looked us over, looked all around for the grouse and then decided it was best to vacate.

I can’t remember much of the description of the hawk, but I was so dumbstruck to be that close and showered by snow from both birds in a life-death struggle…

Later, an older person told us it was a grouse-hawk or Goshawk… What I THINK I recall is that they were about the same size birds!

Fascinating stuff…Nature is so full of surprises, you just can’t make stuff like we experience out there up for love or money!

This is one of the best comparisons of the three accipter species that I’ve ever seen:

IDENTIFICATION PRIMER: Accipiters, by Michael Tove of the Carolina Bird Club.

Charles,

That is a great reference. What struck me reading thru it is that you really have to be quite “up” on your birds to not get those 3 confused in one fashion or another. The differences appear quite subtle in immature phases between them and then with size, male vs. female can be misleading.

I think I’ll just go with enjoying them when our paths cross and not focus on trying to classify them too specifically!

eidsvolling wrote: You would know the difference instantly if a Northern goshawk hit you in the back of the head, which is a not uncommon occurrence in these parts. It’s a significantly bigger bird and notorious for being a fierce defender of its nesting area.

Yup. Years ago (80s) during turkey season I got one really peed off with a hen yelp and he came at me several times. Haven’t seen one since so guess I’m rusty.