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

[centrarchid]

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Three characters I use in distinguishing sharp-shinned from coopers hawk birds without using size reference. Works even when comparing similar sized female sharp-shinned to male Coopers.

Head: Sharp-shinned looks small and rounded with small beak. Coopers looks larger, flatter on top and more robust beak.

Legs: Sharp-shinned has long narrow shinnes almost like a songbird. Coopers has heavier more typical hawk-like shinnes.

Wing / tail outline: Sharp-shinned more angular. Coopers more rounded.


When in flight, sharp-shinned has frequent changes in direction with head tucked back closer to body. Coopers flight more direct with large head extended.

If size can be used, sharp-shinned is about the size of a bluejay, females larger and males smaller; while with Coopers the male is just a tad larger than an average sharp-shinned female and the female Coopers is just a little larger looking than a common crow.





If bird is a sharp-shinned, then it is unlikely to be a threat to chickens unless you have nothing but chicks less than two weeks of age.

 

[Stonerowfarm]

Lucky something got him before he got your chickens. I'm also in Western Mass and had my first loss to a hawk a few weeks ago. What hit me was a red tail, which are plentiful. Fortunately the crows seem to be back around here and have been chasing hawks nonstop for the last week. The other day they were screaming so loudly I could hear them in the house over the sound of the television. I looked out and there must have been at least 18 crows (that I could see) dive-bombing a hawk in a pine tree. Every time the hawk moved, the crows swooped in on it. So, perhaps the crows took it down.

 

[LadyinRed]

I must agree it looks like a human may have been involved with his leg cut off like that. Poor youngster but that is life.

 

[desertdarlene]

The foot may have been missing before he died. I see lots of birds with missing feet where I live for various reasons. It might be the reason why he possibly starved to death.

 

[centrarchid]

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My question is how was foot lost. My experience has been with foot traps baited in such a manner to attract predators. Many raptors will not pass up carrion, especially in lean times. Could also have been shot off.

 

[deerman]

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My question is how was foot lost. My experience has been with foot traps baited in such a manner to attract predators. Many raptors will not pass up carrion, especially in lean times. Could also have been shot off.

Yes , and not illegal to trap this time of year. Don't think they had set for hawks. For sure if it lost its foot , it would have starved, not able to kill prey.

 

[obsessedwithbirds]

I hate to say it, but there are plenty of people who believe that birds of prey are a danger to their flock (which they are when your birds aren't fully protected) and would not hesitate to trap them in a foothold trap.

They would be easy to catch in such a trap, as they like to perch in the same spot over and over, so predicting where to place the trap is easy.

When a bird gets its leg in a foothold trap, it is usually broken and mangled and may have fallen off.

...Or maybe it was killed and had the talon cut off by a person. Either way it's fairly unlikely for a bird like that to lose a talon naturally. Other raptors or predators would not eat the talons until last.

 

[NateinFL]

I thought they migrated South...maybe this one didn't migrate like it was supposed to and paid the ultimate price.

 

[centrarchid]

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Many Coopers and a few sharp-shinned hawks stay at least as far north as I am. Numbers are droping now either because of moving further south or failing to survive. Very soon they will be moving north again with slight uptick in losses of chickens to Coopers but should not be nearly as heavy as seen in fall. Fewer hawks alive for north bound trip.

 

[NateinFL]

Quote:
Many Coopers and a few sharp-shinned hawks stay at least as far north as I am. Numbers are droping now either because of moving further south or failing to survive. Very soon they will be moving north again with slight uptick in losses of chickens to Coopers but should not be nearly as heavy as seen in fall. Fewer hawks alive for north bound trip.

I learned something new, thanks! Seems like they all come to FL for winter vacation!