Sharp-shinned hawk

[ ACCIPITER STRIATUS ]

After lurking in deep woodlands all spring and summer, one of California’s most dashing little raptors is on the move. This diminutive forest hawk with quicksilver wing beats spends much of the year darting among trees and shrubs and pouncing on unsuspecting chickadees, sparrows and other small songbirds. On rare occasions it can be seen rocketing across backyards to snatch meals from bird feeders. This stealth hunter relies on its superior bursts of speed to catch prey, but like an expensive race car, it runs out of fuel quickly and must give up the chase if it isn’t immediately successful. In the last two weeks of September and the first week of October, so many leave the forest and take to the skies that it is the most numerous migrating hawk along the California coast. Hundreds a day may pass by migration observation sites like Hawk Hill on the north sideof San Francisco Bay.

NATURAL HISTORY

Most of the migrating sharp-shinned hawks seen along the coast are inexperienced juvenile birds making their first journey south. Finding food is so difficult for these hawks that as many as 75% may die before they master their hunting skills.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

This jay-sized hawk has a long rudder-like tail and short wings that enable it to maneuver through dense forests; its tail is banded and the juvenile bird has many brown streaks.