Common name: Sharpie
Scientific name: Accipiter striatus
Identification:
A dashing small hawk, often seen only fleetingly as it weaves swiftly between trees or bushes in pursuit of prey. The entire underside is bluish-gray, though darker on the crown, and the white-tipped tail has three distinct gray bars. The variable underside is usually rufous or tawny, mottled and barred with white.
Range:
From the northern tree limit of North America, down to South Carolina and Alabama, with breeding in northern and central North America. Concentrations of this species are one of the most spectacular sights at Hawk Mountain, Pennsylvania, in migration.
Habitat:
The species is found in a variety of habitats, and at widely differing elevations, but it is always a bird of forested country, and shows a marked preference for conifers.
Nesting:
Usually sited in a conifer, the nest will be placed at a point where several branches meet the trunk. It is a relatively large structure, built of twigs and lined with bark.
Feeding habits:
The species' main diet consists of small birds, although it will also take small mammals, as well as lizards and insects. The female is larger and capable of dealing with larger prey than her mate. It is bold and relentless in pursuit of prey, agile and maneuverable in flight, and adept at using cover to secure the advantage of surprise when attacking.
Conservation status:
Maintaining reasonable numbers.
