Can anyone tell me what kind of HAWK this is?

[WCflockers]

Sorry for the bad picture quality, but I was so nervous when I saw him on the fence right next to our coop that I was shaking. We have not had Hawk issues before (have been free ranging since spring) but since this picture, all of a sudden, have noticed more hovering/ circling above...and a few dive bomb attempts. (One with my husband, son and two dogs outside right near the chicken that was targeted!)

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It looks like a Cooper's Hawk, one of the three species of hawks that makes up the so called "Chicken" hawk brand.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It looks like a Cooper's Hawk, one of the three species of hawks that makes up the so called "Chicken" hawk brand.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Can't tell for sure. But with the tail barring I think possible Red Tail. Was there a mottled arching bar across the chest? If so definite Red Tail.

Can you give us a comparison size to blue jay, crow, or raven?

Really doesn't matter WHICH kind of hawk as all hawks will take chickens. Vultures now usually only take deceased or rotting carrion.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

It looks like a red tail to me too, but Coopers are pretty similar.
This is migration time for hawks. They were circling above my coop all summer, now they've come to your house for a visit :/
They make me nervous too, we don't free range much anymore

 

[Ron D]

Looks like a young red tail to me. But I can't really tell.

Around hear it doesn't really matter hawks are to chickens what snakes are to eggs

The type don't matter, they are all bad for chickens

 

[lcahill]

It is either a Sharp-Shinned hawk or a Cooper's Hawk. Sharp shinned Hawks and Cooper's hawk target birds almost exclusively. The barring on the tail feathers is the defining feature as the red-tailed does not have that. I'm leaning towards the Cooper's hawk because of the size of the bird.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

It looks like a Cooper's hawk to me too, especially given the barring on the tail. Does it look like the Cooper's hawk in the pictures below? They really don't fear humans much at all, urban hawks even less so.

 

[fred2sheebs]

The picture is fuzzy but I think it is either a "Sharp Shinned hawk or a Swainsons hawk We have a lot of them here in MO. but mostly large Red Tailed hawks

 

[keesmom]

Or a Goshawk. Hard to say without knowing what size it is.