ID Help: Cooper's Hawk

[Kinderchick]

Thank you Tracy for all the info. When I checked he/she was no where to be seen.
Hopefully it flew away and is ok.

Glad to hear that the bird most likely recovered and flew away, Doreen.

[The Peregrine Chick]

I think I found a picture of it on the internet, called a sharp shinned..
Look up google under birds with striped tails..and look there...I am not sure but they look the same beak and tail.

Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks are very hard to distinguish one from another - size is the easiest/fastest way but barring that, you have to check tail shape, tail band sizes and colours, size of head, size of feet and legs, minor plumage variations in the adults, etc.  For juveniles, it gets worse because young Northern Goshawks also look like Sharp-shinneds and Cooper's.

[Doreen]

Thank you Tracy for all the info. When I checked he/she was no where to be seen.
Hopefully it flew away and is ok.

[transplanted maple]

I think I found a picture of it on the internet, called a sharp shinned..
Look up google under birds with striped tails..and look there...I am not sure but they look the same beak and tail.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Or maybe it's a merlin!  

I say Merlin.  How's it doing?

Sorry, definitely not a merlin ...   ... not even a falcon.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Tracy this bird just hit my window, and I sure hope it will be ok.
Could you tell me what kind of bird it is?

Cooper is right, without a size reference it is difficult to quickly tell Cooper's Hawks (no relation  ) from Sharp-shinned Hawks.  Looking at the width of the white terminal band on the tail and the size of the feet, I would guess that it is a Cooper's Hawk even though the head looks a bit small.  Could be the head looks small because the bird is crouching a bit and looks like it has puffed up its feathers some.  Or it could be a pudgy Sharp-shinned  

Bird looks alert, both eyes are open, it's not listing to one side and its feet and wings look symmetrical.  Also I can't see any blood so I would think the bird's got a good chance.  My advice is to leave it totally alone, don't go and check on it.  If you have pets, don't let them out.  

If you want to check again about 6pm that is fine, by that point it should have taken off or it will be settling down for the night.  If you do go check, don't go close, just peak (with binocs if you have them) and leave the bird alone. Depending on how hard a hit, the bird may need a couple of hours of quiet time to reboot.

If the bird is lying down or looks very much NOT like your photo, call MWRO/wildlife haven at (204) 878-3740 get their advice.  It is better just to leave the bird alone so getting expert advice on whether to approach a potentially injured animal should always be the first course of action.  If the bird is injured likely it will end up at MWRO so always nice to get their help right from the start.

Hope this helps.
TPC

[irenekl]

I say Merlin.  How's it doing?

[Cooper]

Or maybe it's a merlin! 

[Cooper]

Well, that looks very much like the birds I've been watching in my back yard! If on the smallish size compared to other hawks, this may be a sharp shinned hawk. If a bit bigger then it may be a Cooper's hawk. Have a look at its tail. If it is flat across that would suggest the sharp shinned, if rounded then more likely a Cooper's. There you have it - the sum total of my hawk identification powers. 

[Doreen]

Tracy this bird just hit my window, and I sure hope it will be ok.
Could you tell me what kind of bird it is?

[RCF]

They sure are great photos Doreen, whichever species they may be.  Lucky you for seeing them!  

[birdcamfan]

Whatever they are they are sure handsome looking, sitting there posing for such nice pics.

[The Peregrine Chick]

In both Sharpies and Coopers both genders look the same - the adults are grey backed and red eyed, juveniles are brown and white.

 
ADULT                                                            JUVENILE


Still not 100% sure of the species, the head on both of these birds seems small in comparison with the body, but it may just be the photo.  Until I can see the tail clearly, it's likely a Cooper's since we see alot of them in town but it could be a Sharpie if its smaller than I think

[Doreen]

This is the blurry male. He was pretty big.
Just notice the brave Robin on the shed.
Still not a good picture of the tail.

This image is of a juvenile

I'm still on the fence about the species - the head on the adult is small relative to the body which makes me think its a Sharpie, but the head on the juvenile looks larger and the white at the tail tip is quite broad and visible which could make it a Coopers.

You had both at the same time?  or about the same time?  If so, then I think I would say Cooper's Hawks ....

not as definitive as you would like I'm sorry ...

Tracy the male was sitting on that post and the female was on the bush (first picture I posted) it looked to me like he was watching her. He flew away and she jumped on the grass.

[Doreen]

Got another one for you Tracy!  
This is today. When he/she flew away I checked it's tail and it was white at the tips.
Could this be the male from the other day?