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Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

Glen and Martha Vargas @ Calfornia Academy of Science

Length: 10-14 in.
Habitat: woodlands, brushy ares.

This is the smallest of North American accipiters, the dashing hawks that prey on birds and small mammals. Female accipiters are larger than the males. The largest species is the Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) of the northern forests. Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) resemples the Sharp-shinned Hawk, but is a heavier, more deliberate flier. Accipiters fly by flapping their wings a few times, then gliding with wings flat or slightly bowed, then flapping a few more times.