Unfortunately for your rat situation Ed, Sharpshins are the smallest of our
North American hawks, especially the males which barely tip the scales at
100 grams and smaller.

While the females are quite a bit larger (180-220 grams), both sexes are
woefully undersized to be taking rats.

When they are just fledged however, Sharp-shins really have no idea what
they can and can't catch so they will make passes at everything just to see
what works.

For example, there is even a record of a recently fledged juvenile Northern
Goshawk attacking a cow and grabbing it by the side before being shaken
off. How could it know that it could not bring down a cow unless it tried?

Best solution is to buy rat traps or hope a Cooper's pair moves into your
neighborhood. Females are fully capable of taking rats.

Red-tails and Great horned Owls would be even better, as you know.

--
Bud Anderson
Falcon Research Group
Box 248
Bow, WA 98232
(360) 757-1911
falconresearch at gmail.com
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