Bird of Interest: Sharp-shinned Hawk

01 // Bird of Interest

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER from near Patagonia, AZ, USA / CC0

Bird ID

This week's Bird of Interest is the sharp-shinned hawk, a small hawk whose males are the smallest in the United States and Canada. Its taxonomy is currently unresolved, with conflicting reports suggesting that the southern taxa or three distinct Caribbean island populations may represent separate species.

Visual signatures

• Sex Dimorphism: Females are distinctly larger, showing both a size increase (approx. 30% longer) and a significant weight advantage (>50%).
• Appendages: Long, very slender yellow legs are a defining feature.
• Tail Pattern: Adults display a tail banded in blackish and gray, with the tip varying from slightly notched to square or rounded.
• Plumage Contrast: Look for the combination of blue-grey upperparts, white underparts with rufous or tawny bars, and a white crissum.

Acoustic signatures

Collection gap — use the audio links below.

Listen: xeno-canto · eBird species page

Pattern of life

• Habitat: Occupies forested parts and temperate regions across the US and Canada.
• Seasonal Movement: Northern populations display a clear pattern of life, migrating south for the non-breeding (winter) season.
• Resident Zones: Resident populations are confirmed in temperate parts of the US and along select coastal regions of Canada.

F2T — where it's been reported (Clark County, last 30 days)

• Clark County Wetlands Park — last reported 02 Oct
• Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs — last reported 02 Oct
• Desert NWR--Corn Creek (Field Station) — last reported 01 Oct
• Clark County Wetlands Park--Pabco Area — last reported 30 Sep
• Primm Forest Preserve — last reported 29 Sep

Full bintel (Wikipedia)

02 // Bird Order of Battle

211 species reported across Clark County in the last 7 days. Notable sightings (rare or out of season) flagged by eBird:

Bird	Location	Date
Ridgway's Rail	Clark County	02 Oct
Western Kingbird	Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve	02 Oct
Sabine's Gull	Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve	02 Oct
Yellow-breasted Chat	Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve	02 Oct
Curve-billed Thrasher	Searchlight Park	02 Oct
Northern Parula	Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs	02 Oct
Black-throated Blue Warbler	Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs	02 Oct
Broad-winged Hawk	Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs	02 Oct

Source: eBird.org

03 // Migration Estimate

Fall migration is shifting the local pattern of life. Arrivals like the Red-breasted Sapsucker and Sandhill Crane mark the first passage migrants and winter visitors moving in, while summer breeders such as the Blue Grosbeak, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and the area's hummingbirds are thinning out. Expect waterfowl and other winter residents to build over the coming weeks.

Indicators — arrivals

• Red-breasted Sapsucker
• Sandhill Crane

Indicators — departures

• Ash-throated Flycatcher
• Baird's Sandpiper
• Blue Grosbeak
• Broad-tailed Hummingbird
• Calliope Hummingbird

04 // NAI of the Week

Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve

This string of water-reclamation ponds is a high-value NAI, offering excellent signatures for waterfowl and shorebirds. Confirm local operational hours before deployment, as they are seasonal. Recent intel confirms multiple contacts, including the Gadwall, Osprey, and American Kestrel.

173 species reported here in the last 14 days, including:

• American Kestrel
• Broad-tailed Hummingbird
• Cliff Swallow
• Gadwall
• Greater Yellowlegs
• House Sparrow
• Lincoln's Sparrow
• Northern Mockingbird

eBird hotspot · Site info

05 // Bird VR

Make the call. Answer in next week's BINTSUM.

Photo: Clément Bardot / CC BY-SA 4.0

• A. Cinnamon Teal
• B. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• C. Mexican Duck

06 // TTP of the Week

Eyes on target, then optics

Don't hunt for the bird through your binoculars. Keep your eyes locked on it and bring the binoculars up into your line of sight. Practice on a stationary object until it's automatic.

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Sighting data provided by eBird.org. Bird facts adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each image. Written by a local AI model, so double-check anything that matters.