Accipiters are always a special challenge.

Part of what's confusing about this bird is the first
impression regarding size. It's eating a pigeon....
Pigeons, according to Sibley, are 12.5" and Sharp-shins
are 11". This is why old birders have lots of bird
books...

According to Wheeler and Clark (1995):
Sharp-shinned Hawk
males 9-11 in
females 11-13 in
Coopers Hawk
males 14-16 in
females 16-19 in

This is a subadult (juvenile) accipiter, being streaked
not barred. The smallish, rounded head, promenent
forehead, supercillium that extends behind the cap and
smallish beak all suggest Sharp-shinned Hawk. Sharp-shins
also generally show broader streaking with fairly broad
bars at the flanks. Cooper's usually show narrow breast
streaks and spotty, broken bars at the flanks.

Based on a single photo, I am inclined to call this a
juvenile female.

But I'm willing to be talked out of it...

Denny Granstrand wrote:
>
> Hi Tweeters,
>
> Today I put a photo of an accipter I identified as a juvenile Sharp-shinned
> Hawk on the BirdYak website:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BirdYak/
>
> Click on "photos" on the left side of the screen and then on the hawk photo.
> You can enlarge it by clicking on the larger photo as it comes up.
>
> It has been suggested that it is actually a juvenile Cooper's Hawk. We
> would appreciate any opinions on it. Please include a brief discussion of
> field marks to back up your opinion.
>
> Thanks
>
> Denny Granstrand
> * * * * * * * * * * *
> * Denny Granstrand *
> * Yakima, WA *
> * osprey at nwinfo.net *
> * * * * * * * * * * *
>
>

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html