How to ID Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks: NARRATED

Telling the difference between a Cooper's and a Sharpie is the most challenging distinction North American birders face. Thank you to Jean Swanson for lending me her footage of a Sharpie squeezing a Robin to death and to California Wildlife for his footage of a Cooper's eating prey.

[@gemstorm16]

What a humorously-narrated video! I'm just a very casual observer who saw a hawk today and your tone comforted me in my inability to pin down the species. Thanks for such a fun video. I do think it was a Coopers I saw far up in that tree, but only because I heard it first, and checked some videos of their calls. You're right though, whatever species it was, it was a pretty special moment for me today!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I read this when you posted it and thought I had responded. Now I see that I didn't. I just want to let you know that I enjoyed hearing from you, partly because, of course, I always like to hear one of my videos praised, but also because I enjoyed sharing your delight in the experience. Thanks for commenting.

[@NaeBallz8891]

I am fascinated with the pair that lives behind my work ❤ my boss tells me to quit staring out the windows and start cleaning 😂

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@NaeBallz8891 in a way, I wish we had them living where I could see them the way you do. But if we did, a lot more of the birds we feed would die. I guess I’ll just have to be content with what I’ve got. Enjoy them!

[@RussHeim]

"Coop has a cap" will certainly stick with me as a memorable mnemonic device... Thanks Jo! :)

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

An adult hit our window yesterday and stunned itself. It sat there for twenty minutes before it left, and I had ample time to see that the Coop had a cap. It's not that the Cooper's doesn't have any gray on its neck, but it's a lighter gray than the head. I'm glad you watched this one, Russ. I think it has very useful info for someone like you, who's out in the woods a lot.

[@sandyl.8390]

Thank you so much! This is the best and easiest to understand explanation I've found. Your voice is so calming, so you are very pleasant to listen to. I cap on the Coop's head told me what I needed to know today, so I'm very happy that I now know for sure that I have a Cooper's hanging out in my backyard... by my bird feeders, unfortunately, but that's nature. 💜

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

It pleases me to know that this movie helped you so much. And thanks for letting me know that you appreciate the way I narrate. Yeah, that "Coop has a cap" is easy to remember and unmistakable as a field mark if you can just get a look at it. To this day, on the other hand, I get mixed up about which species has thick streaks and which species has thinner ones. That's a valuable field mark, since I see more juvies than adults, but it's not as easy to keep straight which bird has which striping. So anyway, you've got an adult Cooper's, huh? There might come a day when you see that hawk kill or eat a bird. And by the way, before I did this movie, I made one just about the Cooper's Hawk. And misidentified a Sharpie as a Cooper's. It might be good practice for you just to see if you can pick out the case of mistaken ID.

[@communistvulture6516]

Wonderful video! The images helped me finally pin down Sheila, scourge of my doves, as a Coop’s.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Ah yes, we see the Coop's catch our doves too. After I made this movie, I even got one blurry clip of a Coop chasing a dove across the yard. Doves are so fast once they get going that I figured that one would survive. Interesting screen name, Communist Vulture. I'll bet there's a story behind it.

[@susanmb6071]

Thank you so much for this video!!! We are in a NW suburb of Chicago. We have a feeder and bath. Suet. The birds love it and so do our furry long-tailed friends. LOL! This morning we had a Cooper's in our yard. He was sitting on the ground at the base of a large bush. My niece noticed him and I grabbed my binoculars. From the kitchen I could see him clearly. He started walking and I saw the leg feathers. I love watching eagles and his "pants" reminded me of that. Beautiful. From the ground he went to sit on the fence, the flew from one fence to another finally lading in next door neighbors peach trees. We've been hearing him for week but, this was the first close sighting. Awesome!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Sorry to be so slow responding, Susan; apparently I missed your comment when you posted it. I enjoyed reading about your experience with the Cooper’s Hawk. Last week I was filming from a blind when one arrived and stalked through undergrowth hoping to flush prey. I got most of the episode on film and plan to include it in a film I’ll post this Friday about White-throated Sparrows.

[@eleonoradjurdjic420]

Gosh Jo, I just love your videos and your way of teaching!! Not to mention your lovely, soothing voice that conveys such loving kindness! I appreciate you so much! Thank you for sharing your wisdom & experience in this way!!🥰🙏💖✨🕊 You brighten my life and the world by doing so!! Wishing you all the best and that you have joy in every day!!!🌈✨💖🤩✨

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You're welcome, Eleonora. It's praise like what you just offered me that keeps me motivated to do my best job on every script. Right now I'm working on a video about a huge flock of Cedar Waxwings demolishing the berries on a Holly tree. I'll keep you in mind as I fine tune the narration. 😊

[@Gunners_Mate_Guns]

Thanks so much for your excellent, very detailed explanation of the differences between the two. According to the maps showing their respective territories, we have both species in my area, although I don't believe I have seen a Sharp-Shinned yet.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you for the praise of this video. And no, I haven't managed to get any audio of the hawks. 😕

[@lajesq176]

Thank you, Jo. You helped me identify the juvenile Sharpie that visited my very small, urban backyard today. It was a gorgeous bird.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I always like to hear that this movie has helped someone I.D. these hawks. Thanks for letting me know.

[@juliefekete8382]

I just discovered your channel -Best bird descriptions I’ve seen! Thanks!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You know that old-time expression "to warm the cockles of my heart"? Well, that's what your compliment does for me. Thank you, Julie.

[@CaliFaunaDreamn]

Very cool! You really did your homework (in which I was happy to contribute). Thanks for sharing this.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

It's funny. I almost dreaded undertaking this little project, because those two hawks do so confound me. And they still do, but not nearly as much. In the end, I enjoyed what I learned, and I'm being rewarded doubly by hearing from people that they find this video useful.

[@pursesandhats]

So awesome! We have a pair of Juvenile Cooper's in out backyard and we couldn't tell which of these two it was until we watched your video! Thanks so much for a great comparison of the two!!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks for writing and letting me know how much you enjoyed the movie. I also did one just about Cooper's Hawks before I made this video. You might like to watch it, especially since I mistakenly labeled a Sharpie as a Cooper's in it. (I wouldn't have made that mistake after I made this movie. Doing it taught me a lot.)

[@violina48]

Beautiful and impressive birds, Jo! Thank you! Happy New Year 2019***

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

And Happy 2019 to you too, Annemieke. I just bought a new camera that gives me 3-4 times the distance I had been able to get and then a Cooper's hawk lit on the wall around our patio and stayed put for half an hour. I got some of the footage with the camera I had been using, but then I switched to the new one for the super closeups. Man! When you see that bird's fierce face fill the screen, he is so impressive!

[@DailyMyChildhood]

Appreciate your video😊 Well captured!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you. They visit our yard so often that they make it possible to get video of them--or at least of them sitting still. Their attacks are so sneaky and fast that the only footage I've gotten is blurry and distant.

[@emilychan2444]

Thank you, Jo, for that very informative video. You're right. It's very hard to distinguish between sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks.. Had what I thought was a female, immature sharp-shinned in my yard having a late breakfast. Unfortunately, I believed she nailed one of the few chickadees that comes to my feeder.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Too bad. The hawk's gotta eat. And I'm sure seeing it was the highlight of your day, something to remember.

[@clevelandnative7175]

Thanks for the video. I found it helpful, we have a lot of hawks here in the foothills of San Bernardino, a couple of nests too, so this will come in handy.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I am happy to hear you found it useful, and I wish you luck telling them apart.

[@pamelakern2849]

I will watch this video many times . I have always had some trouble identifying these hawks!!

[@deckard9732]

Really enjoyed this presentation... thank you. Had (what I think was a Sharpie) nail a dove in my backyard a few weeks ago.. me, being the amateur bird lover tried to identify this little guy... enter the "identify the hawk" debate.. Here in Colorado, there are about 13 different indigenous species... I think I'm hooked.

[@thatgirlirish5492]

Great video & quite helpful, thank you! I’m about 90% sure what I saw hunting in my yard was a Cooper’s Hawk. Luckily I got to see it pretty close up and the took notice of the wing speed. He/she was a very determined hunter and I had the privilege of watching it in my yard for a good half hour! I’m in the midwest (MI). I got out my binoculars for that one.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

It’s always a thrill to see one of them. We feed so many birds that we get Coopers and sharpies in the yard regularly during the cold months. I just wish they’d give me some warning so that I could get a good action shot of them going after prey. But in that respect, they are uncooperative.

[@fiddlejean]

Really helpful video with a nice collection of great closeups. I've struggled with identification too, but have found the neck vs cap to be the most reliable identifier. Of course, I don't always get to see the neck, or I'm just so excited to see the hawk that I forget to look. I found the info about wing flapping speed very interesting. Thank you for creating this video tool!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you, Jean. I recently bought a Nikon P1000. It's a still camera that will also do video, and it gives me 3-4 times the distance of any camcorder I have--thus the closeups of the Cooper's. Boy howdy, do I know what you mean about struggling with identification. I've been amazed (and disheartened) by how often those clues don't work--a Sharpie's head looks squarish at the back or a Cooper's streaks look thick. Sometimes even a Cooper's cap looks like a gray Sharpie neck to me. As for the wingbeats, that was my husband's contribution. He's a much more experienced birder than I am. Even so, with all the frustrations I still have, making the movie taught me enough to give me more confidence about IDing these hawks. Thanks one last time for contributing your footage to the movie.

[@fiddlejean]

You and the Nikon do a wonderful job. My camera is for photos and not so great for video. Not being able to tell them apart is a nice problem as hawks were very rare when we were kids.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I wasn't paying any attention to birds when I was a kid, Jean, so I can't speak as to that. But seeing them now is a thrill.This afternoon, a Sharpie scattered all the birds in our yard and lit fairly close, close enough that we could see he was Bluejay size. Then the actual Bluejays arrived to mob him. Wish I could have gotten the camera on it all in time, but I wasn't fast enough. The hawk flew before I could locate him. Still, I mean, what fun! Thank you for the compliment on my camera work. I never have as many quality shots as I would like, but I enjoy putting the film together to tell a story. And most of the footage is good. I enjoy seeing it over and over as I piece together the final film.

[@jawjww]

I saw a Cooper's today at the bird feeder at work. Had a good look at it as it just sat on the branch while I looked out the window. It was the closest, longest lasting visit I've ever had. They're awesome.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I know from experience what a thrill that is, and what's nice is how long they sometimes sit--as much as half an hour. Could you see its cap? Or was it an immature?

[@jawjww]

Jo Alwood adult male. thanks for the cool video!!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks. I'm glad you found it useful. I guess you got to see the Coop's cap then, huh? By the way, I did a film just about the Cooper's hawk that I bet would interest you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGWbdIuCZs2rotU

[@TubeMonkey72]

Super helpful. I am not a birder by hobby, but living in eastern TN I have the good fortune of seeing a lot of cool wildlife, even at home! We have what I think must be a Cooper’s hawk sitting on the fence across our hard. Hard to get a good pic in the rain, but through some binoculars it is beautiful! This video was super helpful! Maybe it’s here to help out with the chipmunk problems we had this past gardening season!!!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I'm happy to hear that the movie is useful. Thanks for letting me know. As for your chipmunk problems, Cooper's hawks will be glad to help out. So will Red-tailed Hawks.

[@blindriv3r]

Thanks for the great video, the wing beats are distinctive for sure, and in any kind of wind the Sharpie is all over the place, where teh Coopers is more steady and straight-line in its path

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I haven't had a chance to notice what you describe about the Sharpie's zigzagging flight in the wind. Thanks for pointing it out.

[@blindriv3r]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I wasn't very good in my description, I guess I meant 'wind-tossed' for Sharpies, at ridge top Fall hawk migration sites the Sharpies come over in large numbers and the task is to differentiate the relatively few Coopers from the swarms of Sharpies, difficult as they zoom past at high speed and often very low

[@berachabirdingwildlifesafa6430]

Fantastic video thank you for sharing

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My pleasure. I also have one that's just about the Cooper's hawk, if that interests you.

[@jk386-]

hello jo thank you for this information. i sea many birds and i appreciate your wisdom thanks again j.k also was wonder what you think that most difficult Floridian bird would be ?

[@quote_nature]

Thank you Jo for taking on Cooper's Hawks and Sharpies!! It is something I grapple with. Since we mostly have Cooper's I have been accustomed to their head shape, size, rounded tail, and color but... I also think I have never seen a Sharpie since I doubt myself. Also, was told that tail wear can make a Cooper's tail look squared off LOL. If only they would perch together ; ) Thank you for the excellent tips and graphics!! Best, Cathy

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I appreciate your comments, Cathy. Praise for this video means the most when it's coming from someone like you, who I know to be serious about identifying birds correctly. Making this movie was tough--too much info to handle! But I'm glad I tackled it because I learned so much. I'm way better at recognizing these hawks now than I was a month ago. The shot I used to show an immature Sharpie with an eyebrow had been sitting in my video library for a couple of years--and I had it labeled as a Cooper's! Of course, I still can't tell which one I'm seeing more than half the time, but at least I know that, in my confusion, I'm in good company.

[@quote_nature]

So glad you tackled the major differences and made the video while acknowledging the difficulties. I will use your video as a resource and who knows I might possibly one day spot a Sharpie. : )

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Cathy, you have no idea how much I like the idea that someone will be using this movie as a reference work. It makes the effort that went into the movie worth it.

[@Steparo]

Nice video. I think what I saw yesterday in our backyard was an immature sharpie. Thanks for the helpful video!!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Apparently you got a good look at the hawk then, cause that's what it takes to have any assurance about the I.D.

[@WanderingSoleTV]

Great information Jo! I was just trying to figure this out with one individual a few days ago. It turned out to be a sharp-shinned : )

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks for the compliment. Like you, I know the feeling of puzzling over that ID! I learned a lot about how to tell them apart by doing this movie. ... But still, I often can't be sure.

[@ConcealedWeapon]

Oh I like your voice, very calming!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thank you for taking the time to say so. You're not the first to comment on my calming voice. What's funny is that I never thought about my voice one way or another until I started narrating these videos and viewers pointed it out.

[@Vbluevital]

Thank You for the helpful comparisons. I believe I'll remain confused with a couple weekly sightings. Today a sharp tail flew past the window. I appreciate the numerous tips.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Oh, I know what you mean. I'm WAY more than 9,000 sightings short of being competent to evaluate which species I'm seeing. LOL. but I did learn a lot from making this movie, and I'm pleased to hear that you did too.

[@natalieandalie]

Thank you for this video!!! So helpful and funny at the same time ❤😂

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Helpful and funny, those were exactly what I was aiming for. Looks like I hit the mark, and I thank you for telling me so.

[@Pacificnorthwestkate]

Thanks for this Jo - my hardest problem - SS or Coop! 😄👍💛

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Oh, I love hearing that from someone that I know pays serious attention to birds. Thanks for telling me, Kate.

[@MsThylacine]

So Helpful! We just watched a beautiful hawk eating a dead squirrel in the Park and now we think it was an immature Sharp Shinned Hawk thanks to your great help!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I love hearing that the movie was helpful. Thanks for telling me.

[@djsaucylady]

I just saw for the first time I believe the shark shinned hawk on top of my birdfeeder in my backyard. I’m always watching my feeder like a hawk ;) and I had to look up what I was seeing and came across your KZbin. Thank you for posting!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

We've had a Cooper's coming to the yard every day for the last week or two. I'll be making another movie that will include some gorgeous close-up shots of his head jerking attentively and even one shot of him pursuing a Mourning Dove. I feel sorry for the birds they catch but awed by their predatory majesty.

[@cublet69ify]

I greatly appreciate this video. I found it very informative. They confound me as bad as warblers and gull.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Oh, you said it! These hawks plus warblers and gulls? I despair of keeping them straight. In fact, with gulls, I barely even try.

[@Jake-sz2ij]

I love these birds but I have always had this problem LOL this video helps quite a bit. at our new house here in the country there is what I believe to be a Cooper's Hawk that hangs around our house every other day maybe now I can correctly identify him thanks Jo🖒

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Is he an immature or an adult? In making this film, I learned about the eyebrow on immatures, and that helped me rename some of the footage I had thought was of Cooper's Hawks. And of course, knowing about the gray on the back of the adult Sharpie is very useful info.

[@Jake-sz2ij]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I think he is an adult I haven't seen him yet today. There is a big trumpet vine buy my barn that sparrows love to hang out in and that's why he comes and sets on our fence post yesterday there was a pile of sparrow feathers at the base of it so I imagine he caught one

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

If he's catching sparrows, that points toward a Sharpie. Not that a Cooper's wouldn't take a sparrow, but they prefer larger prey, like Mourning Doves or Robins. Maybe you'll manage to get a look at the back of his neck, huh?

[@alexkay6995]

Great video! Was IDing the bird that I just saw in my back yard. The closest I have been to one of these. My first thought was Coop, due to the size (solidly crow -sized), and head was on the large size, but I wasn't sure... The thing that threw me a little was that the back of the neck was VERY NEARLY as dark as the top of the head and wings. I'll say it was a Coop though, as that is what people in my area report seeing regularly. Great sight for my back yard, I live in a non-rural neighborhood, but still see hawks daily :)

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Sounds like you already knew most of what I had to say about it, and the main thing is how hard it is to tell the difference! We're not rural either--pure suburban, and we get them all the time.

[@JeremyThePlayer88]

Thanks for the info. The tail was what really stumped me because the Sharp Shinned hawk doesn't have a perfectly flat tail. Also, because the tail feathers are slightly shorter in the middle, that's stumping me as well! Everything else seems to all make sense. I added this to my "favorites" list so that I can compare future hawks later.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Jeremy, you have no idea how much your comment pleased me. I like the idea that this movie will be a reference work for you! As for the confusion you described, do I ever hear you! I learned so much from making this movie--and I'm still unsure at least half the time when I see one of these hawks or look at a picture of one.

[@kristynoble8848]

Thank you so much for posting this! We have a pair of hawks that returns to nest in our neighborhood every spring for at least the past 4 years (Our street has redwoods and pines 30-50 feet tall.) I'm in California's central valley, between Fresno and Bakersfield. I've been trying to figure out whether they are Coopers or Sharpies. After watching your video, I'm probably going to switch my opinion to Coopers. I think one of the nestlings fledged this morning, and the mocking birds, scrub jays and even starlings were dive-bombing it in the top of my redwood tree. It was far larger than any of the other birds. If you post the calls, it would also help. They are loud and incessant, it might be the easiest way to id them for me. Thank you!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Kristy Noble I don’t know how to tell them apart by their calls. These must be mature hawks, So your best bet for ID is a look at the cap on the head. The main thing I have to say is enjoy them!!

[@MissAlivia1]

Thank you for this video. I saw one in a tree today and wasn’t sure if it was a Cooper’s or Sharpie. But this video definitely helped. It was an adult Cooper’s.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Glad to hear this helped. What field marks were most useful?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

One more thing I'd like to say is that before I made this film I made one just about the Cooper's Hawk. Take a look. (kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGWbdIuCZs2rotU) and when you do, notice the hawk at the three minute mark. That's borrowed footage, and both the videographer and I misidentified it. Can you see two field marks that we should have noticed?

[@natejansen892]

Thanks, this video made identification in my own backyard easier!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I do appreciate hearing that, Nate. I got lots better at telling them apart as a result of making this movie. And by the way, since you're interested in Cooper's hawk, maybe you haven't seen the movie I did about that species: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGWbdIuCZs2rotU

[@Friskee62]

Around where I live I always see Red Tailed Hawks...central New York State. Nice video...great information.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Now that you've bothered to learn about these two hawks, Thomas, I hope you get to see them once in awhile. It's true that the Red-tails are easier to spot--they patrol the skies looking for squirrels and rabbits. The Cooper's and the Sharpie, though, are basically woodland birds. However they show up in our yard, because we have so many birds at the feeders.

[@Friskee62]

I watch 'live' bird cams a lot on my computer. cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/40/Cornell_Lab_FeederWatch_Cam/

[@JHenrySmith2]

I still might not be able to tell them apart in the field but this video certainly made me feel a lot better about not knowing which is which, thank you

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You and me both, Hank. Just because I know the differences doesn't mean I can usually tell which one I'm seeing.

[@TrueToad]

Like many I have challenges to correctly identify every time I see one. Thanks for the extra tips - now I know I have a mature Cooper's Hawk watching the feeders.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

You're not the first one to tell me that this film helped identify the hawk in someone's yard, and each time I've read that kind of comment, I've thought, "That is SO cool." I really like knowing that the video helped. Thanks for telling me.

[@brandoncornwell52]

Absolelutely wonderful narration but does this video give us the sound of each bird?

[@MichellesPuppyCam]

Great video!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Thanks, Michelle.

[@christopher9833]

okay, I watched it already. haha. I had a bit of the same problem, naturally. All my search markers pulled up the Sharpie, but I knew it wasn't right. the tail wasn't quite right. great video! thanks for the suggestion. and yes, notifications are on!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

By making this film, I finally got sort of competent at telling them apart. Only sort of, though, which is about all anybody is.

[@jimseifried8416]

I had a Cooper's hawk in my backyard for about 4 weeks. It was all you can eat buffet.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yeah, Jimmi, they're something. A Sharpie sat in one of our trees yesterday and gave me gorgeous shots of him jerking his head in every direction, looking for prey. Fun!

[@juliechase2325]

I *think* I saw a juvenile sharpy this morning, but who knows. It doesn't really matter. I was so grateful for the experience.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

"Who knows?" you say. Of course I understand that! At least you knew it was a juvenile and had good reason to suspect Sharpie.

[@douglasbattjes3991]

Absolutely great video, I've been seeing a all white breasted Hawk with a orange head and brown back, every time I try to get a good photo from over 150 yds , he takes off, don't think it's a Red Tail young one as to early in the spring, March 28 today, Coopers ? the pure white breast with orange or rust colored head has me puzzled, Oh and in western Michigan, also have many Red Tails around all the time, farm type area, with muck fields , lake and low lands. Any help??? 👍👍👍👍

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

First off, I don’t know the answer. But red tailed hawks are about as variable as they come. For what that’s worth.

[@douglasbattjes3991]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I know Redtail's for sure see them every day soring over my muck fields, but this one is different, Thanks anyway

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@douglasbattjes3991 Sorry I couldn't be any more helpful than that. I asked my husband about it because he's so much more knowledgeable about birds than I am. What I offered as advice was his best guess.

[@MunchkinMoD]

Hey Jo, thank you for sharing this I’m trying to identify a hawk and I think it is a juvenile Cooper hawk but I’m still not positive. I’m going to send you a short video to your email hopefully you can help me. It’s a pretty good video except for a little all over the place with the camera I had my dog on a leash at the time and we where about to go walking. I do think hawks are awesome birds and I know it’s nature but if I see him trying to eat any of the birds in my yard I scare him off I would never harm such a amazing bird though I know they have to eat I just don’t like seeing it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

[@caveatemp]

Thanks. We have one or the other nesting nearby. You didn't go into the differences in the call. Are the calls of each bird as difficult to discern?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Their calls are different, though I don't know enough about it to tell you how they differ. But it would be easy to google their calls. Go for it.

[@gmjunky87]

I had two in my backyard (coops, I think...) Bathing in a puddle !! Pretty neat!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Well dadgummit, I can't answer you! Much as I enjoy corresponding with commenters, I can't type right now because I just had carpal tunnel syndrome repaired. All I can do is paste this explanation and hope that maybe sometime in September I can type again.

[@fightapathy416]

Bird Hawk The lull his arrival compels falls, final as a gavel, from a limb of the elm. Cocksure chickadees wince themselves small. The bow shock of its hush washes lilacs, a gasp in open court. Ringed-necks grip their wires and do not coo. A drowsy owl wonders, “who, wh-wh, who?”

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Your comment is a first: the only poem anybody has ever supplied me on this channel. By the way, I'm a retired English teacher, who appreciates creative use of language, especially "Cocksure chickadees wince themselves small."

[@ronsmith1364]

is there such a thing as a point & shoot light weight cam to grab a quick pic to assist ID-ing birds in the field? (thanks for your time)

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My husband uses a Nikon P900, Ron, which is excellent for that purpose. Most of the footage in my movies for the last year has come from a Nikon P1000. It's slightly larger than the 900. If I were you, I'd look at both of them. If you choose one of them, let me know how you like it.

[@ronsmith1364]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME thank you very much

[@country7900]

Just found a bird eating a Robin in my driveway. With the help of this video I believe it is a Sharpie. Bluish gray head above the eyes and white breast. Thanks for the video

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Hmm, white breast doesn't sound like a Sharpie. He would be streaked on white or orange barred.

[@bruzote]

Do they ever hunt in pairs? The latter weeks of this Feb in central New Jersey, I noticed a pair of hawks hunting around my backyard and neighborhood. I sometimes caught a decent look at one of them, but the other seemed to readily fly away as soon as I got outside to look. I could swear that second hawk had a white rump patch, which I looked up as (IIRC) the Northern Harrier, but would a harrier hang with a Cooper's? Or, maybe the Cooper's was chasing it through its territory?

[@blindriv3r]

Very cool, no doubt they were Harriers and pretty sure they do cooperate, as they fly close to the ground and flush out prey

[@ginafriend1690]

10,000 times or so .. ☺ Yep, been trying to figure it out tonight! 🤷‍♀️ Thanks

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

On the juveniles, I find the eyebrow about as useful as anything else; on the adults, the cap on a Cooper's often helps me out. Anyway, good luck with the I.D.s, Gina.

[@Kurokubi]

Something I noticed and find pretty amusing about a cooper is that the shape of their eyes make them look like they're always judgementally/nervously suspicious of everything lol. Sharpies just look shocked/disturbed.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

KuroReanimation you’re a discerning observer of these two birds then. I can’t say I’ve noticed those differences, but I’ll be on the lookout.

[@demguiz944]

I feel much better after watching this video. We have a family of Cooper's/Sharp shinned that nest on our property and I've just about gone bonkers trying to figure out which they are. I've never seen them take a bird but they pounce on things on the ground all the time. Field mice or chipmunks are my guess but I haven't been able to see which. I'm in Alabama, btw.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I wish you a close look at one of them and satisfaction at identifying him!

[@robertsimpson7113]

How about their voice?? /song? same or different??

[@russellhowell4560]

I don’t get either of these species where I live, however as a falconer, it’s always good to know!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I'm glad to hear you found the film useful, Lily. You're not on the North American continent, then?

[@russellhowell4560]

Jo Alwood no I’m in England!

[@LeeAdrian777]

I saw a large hawk flying high today in Ontario with a white head and tail. Trying to figure out which one that would be.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

It was probably a Bald Eagle.

[@wrdjr10gmail]

any videos on their calls I work outside a lot and listen for calls to look around when i hear a unusual one

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Sorry, but that is one topic I haven't covered. Your best bet would be to google it. You can find anything on the net.

[@spartan7911]

I spotted a Sharp-Shinned Hawk before in Dallas County Texas. They are smaller than the Cooper's.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Yes, sometimes the size difference is obvious. We saw a Cooper's hawk in the yard a few days ago. It must have been a female, because she was obviously too large to be a Sharpie.

[@DaveKentLive]

One just landed in front of a trail camera of mine and I'm still not sure which bird it is.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Like I said, no matter how many clues you know for IDing them, sometimes not knowing is inevitable.

[@tomgrams2333]

Coopers are quite a bit larger...

[@LisaSaffell]

Thanks Jo! Still confused. The hawks confound me.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Of course you're still confused, Lisa. All you can hope for is to once in awhile know which one you're seeing. Five minutes ago, we saw a Sharpie being mobbed by Bluejays. We knew he was a Sharpie because he was so close to the house that we could tell he was Bluejay size and because he was the same size as the jays mobbing him. It was exciting!

[@bruzote]

Nice video, but it can't help me. I just saw a bird of prey flying overhead on an overcast day. All I noticed was it seemed like a falcon but appeared large (so far away, I could not know for sure). The wings were pointy and slow and effective wing beats, yielding steady flight, The tail was long and slender, and seemed squarish. Ish. ;-b I really can't say. It kills me because I rarely see ANY birds of prey, so I really wanted to have a feeling of at least 90% certainty and I have no clue. I saw it in north central NJ. The real challenge, as this video drives at in the end, is enjoying what you saw regardless of your ability to identify it. But...but...fine, I yield. it was an impressive bird, whatever it was!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I don't know what it was either, but I sure got a kick out of your frustration and your yielding to it in the end. Thanks for that.

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

Ginger or Mary Ann, age-old question. Cooper's or Sharp-shin comes in a distant second. But as a falconer, I had both species and one comparison is the legs. Not only are the Sharp-shin legs super skinny, they're not round, but have an edge running down the front. Hence the name Sharp-shinned. Does that make any sense? I have a few videos on my channel that show Sharp-shinned Hawks pretty clearly.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

That's new info for me about the line on a Sharpie's leg. Would you post a link here to a video that shows that line?

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME It's a ridge of sorts, you can feel it when you rub their legs. Just KZbin search old school hawking sharpies, that will bring all the sharp-shinned hawk videos up.

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Sorry Jo, it's been so long since I added a link to a comment, I forgot how. The only way I can explain a Sharp-shin's leg, instead of being roundish, it's almost like a triangle. Does that make sense?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@oldschoolhawking8191 I looked at Anthony's New Sharpie but couldn't see the legs well enough to discern what you mean.

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME Yeah I know, that's why I tried to explain the shape of their legs, they're hard to describe. There's a couple of other videos with John Wolfe and his two Sharp-shins. You probably can't see their legs up close on those videos either. But I hope you get the idea of why they were named Sharp-shinned Hawks. Thanks for watching Jo. OSH :-)

[@davidazinger5639]

I don't think Ive ever seen either; but we'll be on the lookout -- now that I know what I'm looking for ! Uhmm, I think !!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Love the "Uhmm, I think", David!

[@MetaliCanuck]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME You wont know......Ive actually had a sharp shin and a coppers hawk family here at the house living for the past 5-10 years breeding. I know they are different birds only because of pictures I take. But when i see them buzzing the treelines or the bird feeders Its impossible to tell which one of the families it is unless i snap a pic and then go stare at it for 30mins racking my brain studying the photos I just took lol btw great vid i learned a few new things to look out for now

[@YawehthedragondogofEL]

Me and my wife were just watching a Cooper's hawk try to eat a toad behind our house. She gave up after a few minutes, I assume toads don't taste very good. I wonder if Sharpies and Coopers ever interbreed.

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Fun story, Diogenes. Do they interbreed? Not as far as I know, but I doubt if I know any more about it than you do. 🤔

[@Optimumhealthandfitness]

Another would be, the coopers eyes are off centred and closer to the beak ?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Never heard that.

[@Optimumhealthandfitness]

@@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME I believe so yes, coopers eyes closer to bill and sharps more centred, closer to nape than coopers. great video, learned so much. Ive subscribed and loving the other videos here. thanks,!

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

@@Optimumhealthandfitness 😊😘

[@godswillmahoshi2012]

And sparrow hawk?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Which is a much better name for them than Cooper's.

[@bruzote]

That Cooper's cap thing was very noticeable to me. I saw a hawk and immediately noticed this feature that I swore to use as something that must be in the bird ID guides. In my case, it reminded me of the look that some folks (typically men) have when they have close-cropped hair and then they buzz the sides down to nothing. Given that I know extremely little about hawk IDs, I am thinking of getting a few books on the matter. It really does not help that I am among those who have red-green color deficiency. With hawks, that makes things very frustrating. Brown vs red streaks? Give me a break! And whose idea was it to create a red-tailed hawk. Really? I have seen countless red-tails, but only a few times in my life could I perceive any red. ;-b

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

My husband also has that red/green deficiency. I guess you learn to deal with it the same way you do traffic lights, hmm? I'll tell you what, that bit of info about the eyebrows on immature Sharpies has turned out to be one of the most useful field marks I learned from making that movie. A couple of days ago, I IDed a Sharpie in a blurry picture on Facebook simply because I could see its eyebrows.

[@nicolewheeler8076]

Ok i think i saw a cooper hawk ty

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

👍

[@jfphotography69]

Thank you Jo, I had mistaken a Sharp-shinned Hawk for a Cooper's Hawk. This is a Sharp-shinned Hawk, right. flic.kr/p/RnReNn And this is a Cooper's Hawk, right. flic.kr/p/2cDvNi3

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

After all I learned making this film, John, these two can still confound me. I think you're right about the Sharp-shinned because it seems to have a bit of white eyebrow and a squared off tail. I'm not as sure about the Cooper's, but I think you're right. The tail looks rounded and the streaking doesn't extend all the way down the breast. That streaking is thick, though, and there's an eyebrow--too much of one? I'd say you're probably right, but I wouldn't put up a stink to defend the ID if someone really good at telling these two apart said it was a Sharpie.

[@rachelorlando6296]

Has anyone ever DNA tested Sharpies and Coops to see if they are actually two different species or just morphs of each other?

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

I have no idea about that, Rachel. Sorry.

[@jayntsngh]

still not helpful....

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

🤷‍♀️ Oh well, I did all I can do.

[@jayntsngh]

i went through your videos, you have photographed amazing videos . few months ago i clicked photo of a hawk. i am confused if it was a coopers or sharp shinned. i am trying to identify that bird since last 6 months. a morning a found that hawk sitting side by side with juveniles pigeon. it was of same size as juvenile pigeon. and it wasn't attacking that pigeon. even if he attacked, pigeon would have been escaped easily . cause size were similar. but at the same time on youtube i have seen coopers hawk easily prey on pigeons. they hunt down pigeon easily. i am all messed up. i captured that hawk picture from my phone . is there any place where i can send that pic and you tell me what bird is that? its a humble request to you .

[@JoAlwoodBIRDSANDTHENSOME]

Indeed, I've watched a Cooper's Hawk take a Mourning Dove, which is about the same size as a pigeon. I make no promise that I can identify the hawk in your picture. It will depend on how close and crisp the shot is and also on whether it shows identifying field marks. But I'll try. Send it to my email: [e-mail].