Identification

Perching: Small hawk with a small head, streaked breast (brown or red-streaked), and long, banded tail.

Flying: Short, rounded wings and long, banded tail (compared to Buteos). Tail is squared off at the end (compared to more rounded tail of Cooper's).

Nesting Habitat

Primarily coniferous forests in the mountains between 1500 and 3200 m. They typically nest in dense conifers such as Douglas-fir, but they also nest in dense stands of juniper and scrub oak, and occasionally in aspen groves.

Nesting Dates

Courtship: March to May

Incubation: early May to early July

Dependent nestlings: early June to late July

Incubation period for 2-6 eggs is about 30 days. An average of 2-3 young fledge 21-27 days after hatching.

Statewide Distribution and Population

Scattered throughout the mountains and western plateaus. They are probably more common than sighting records indicate, but they are secretive around the nest, and nests are usually placed in dense foliage where they are difficult to see. Nesting populations are probably fairly stable. Howard Weinberg (unpublished study) found 8 nest sites within 6 km of Boulder, all in dense stands of Douglas-fir on north-facing slopes in the foothills.

Federal and State Status

Not listed.

Search and Nest Monitoring Protocol

Beginning in early May, search areas where individuals have been sighted. Care should be taken on identification as it is easy to confuse with Cooper’s hawks. Look for butcher blocks (stumps where prey have been taken apart) and pellets in areas of dense conifer growth. Once a nest has been located, visit every 2-3 weeks for no more than 20 minutes per visit. Do not approach within 200 m of active nests.

Recommended Nest Buffer Area

No foot traffic or recreational activity within 400 m of active nests.

References

Bent, A. C. 1937. Life histories of North American birds of prey, part 1. U.S. National Museum Bulletin 167, Washington, D.C.

Call, M. 1978. Nesting habitats and surveying techniques for common western raptors. U.S. Department of the Interior Technical Report 316.

Johnsgard, P. A. 1990. Hawks, eagles, and falcons of North America. Smithsonian Institution press, Washington, D.C.

Joy, S. M., R. T. Reynolds, R. L. Knight, and R. W. Hofmann. 1989. Feeding ecology of Sharp- Shinned Hawks nesting in deciduous and coniferous forests in Colorado. Condor 96: 455-467.

Kingery, H. E., ed. 1998. Colorado breeding bird atlas. Colorado Bird Atlas Partnership, Denver.

Platt, J. 1973. Sharp-shinned hark nesting and nest site selection in Utah. Condor 78: 102-103.

Wickersham, L.E. 2016. The Second Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas. Colorado Bird Atlas Partnership, Denver.