Birding in BC Community

I went out for a walk this afternoon, and found this guy in a vacant lot two blocks from home.
Sometimes you get lucky.
A bit of confusion between Cooper's and Sharp Shinned, but I believe this is a Cooper's
male because of the big head and light coloured nape.
He also has a fairly long, rounded tail.
I'd appreciate if someone could confirm or correct.
Thanks
Gary Magnusson


IMG_6599a by Gary Magnusson, on Flickr

A fairly long rounded tail is a good indicator for Cooper's hawk.
Size is another way to ID, Cooper's is roughly crow-sized while Sharp-shinned is jay-sized.

"The nape feathers on adult Cooper’s Hawks are lighter than the feathers on the top of the head, giving the bird a capped appearance. Adult sharpies have a dark blue-gray tone on both parts."

http://www.audubon.org/news/a-beginners ... nned-hawks


Nice shot by the way!

Thanks, Paul, That would definitely be Cooper's, then.
Gary