Predator Identification, Bird of Prey (Warning: Graphic Pics!)

[cicene mete]

I saw the crows picking at something dead in the backyard, and I went to investigate. It looks to me like some kind of small hawk. Anyone with better knowledge who can help me out?

To be clear to those who are concerned about such things: 1. The bird was dead and being eaten by crows when I found it. 2. I did not touch the bird, take anything from the bird, or anything like that. I took pictures at different times throughout the morning, and the crows did all the work.

If anyone has any idea how this bird might have died, that might also be helpful. It's strange that whatever killed it didn't consume all of it. To give a little more information, I am in Western Massachusetts and I found the bird under a tree but in a open area (i.e. not in a forest). And I didn't measure it, but it's a relatively small bird, about the size of a crow I guess, and much smaller than a red tail.
Thanks!!

I took this one and the next a little bit later. It's a little more gross

as the crows and done more work, but you can see more detail.

 

[centrarchid]

Very cool!

Looks to be a juvenile sharp-shinned hawk. Also looks emaciated. This winter where snows are deep is particularly hard on young of year raptors. Maintenance costs are higher (must eat more to stay alive) owing to low temperatures and prey is difficult to catch. Hawk could have died from combination of starvation and cold. Could also have been preyed upon by another raptor (Coopers hawk during day or an owl by night, or even another sharp-shinned hawk). Crows would certainly be able to eats parts but would have a hard time getting past skin and feathers unless really huritng for food. Crows could have killed the young hawk if they found it in a weakened state.

I'll be surprised if others do not report similar observations.

EDIT: WHOW! Where is birds right foot? Raptor or crow will not take that of first. Human involved here somehow. Trap, gun or trophy or .........?

 

[deerman]

Well if crow size, then its a Cooper Hawk. Sharp-shinned hawk are small they do look alot like.

It could have died for lots of reason. not able to find prey. should have been lots ,because they prey on birds(nickname chicken hawk)
Flew in to something (tree limbs) , the cold ice storm. Maybe killed by the crow, other bird of prey, but they would have ate it.

 

[cicene mete]

Thanks for the info. It might be smaller than a crow. It was definitely smaller than I expected a Hawk to be. It's hard to tell because I didn't get too close to it. How else can you tell the difference? If you look at the tail shape in the pictures, is there a way to distinguish?

centrarchid, if deep snow is a problem for sharp shinned hawks, then it's no shock to me that this one died. The snow is about 4 feet deep on average out in that field. I'm sorry the little bugger died, but I'm glad it didn't feed on my plump little chickens.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Looks like a Coopers to me anyways. The crows could of possibly killed it I wouldn't be surprised. They don't call a mob of crows a murder for nothing.

AC

 

[OldSchoolBackyard]

Quote:
If this is a sharp shinned hawk, perhaps it got the shin splits (splints) Har... har...

 

[cicene mete]

That wouldn't surprise me either, attack chicken. The crows around here are like guard dogs at the sky. We often catch them chasing hawks away. In fact, we have blueberry bushes that we grow just for the crows

 

[cicene mete]

Quote:
Ugh, I hope it was the crows and not a trap. We have lots of farms around (real farms, not like my little pet chicken enterprise), so I wouldn't be too terribly surprised if there were illegal traps on some of them. On the other hand, we also have every imaginable predator, and something might've gotten to it before the crows chased it off. I've seen the crows chasing foxes before. I don't think they would do too well against Fisher cat, however.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

That looks like the RARE "Mauled Hawk"

 

[desertdarlene]

Yeah, looks like a juvenile Cooper's hawk to me. Poor guy. A lot of these hawks don't make it through their first winter, especially in colder areas.