Sharp-shinned Hawk

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) is in the Hawks, Eagles, and Kites family (Accipitridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 16,590 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Sharp-shinned Hawk: observations by month (U.S.)

About Sharp-shinned Hawk

The sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a small hawk, with males being the smallest hawks in the United States and Canada, but with the species averaging larger than some Neotropical species, such as tiny hawk. The taxonomy is far from resolved, with some authorities considering the southern taxa to represent three separate species: white-breasted hawk (A. chionogaster), plain-breasted hawk (A. ventralis), and rufous-thighed hawk (A. erythronemius). The American Ornithological Society keeps all four species conspecific.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Sharp-shinned Hawk by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)

Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis

Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus

Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus

Cooper's HawkAstur cooperii

Northern HarrierCircus hudsonius

Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensis

Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni

Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ