Cooper's??

[jnish]

We saw this one from our back yard today!

IMG_4901_1_1_1 by Jane Nishikawa, on Flickr

IMG_4897_1_1 by Jane Nishikawa, on Flickr

IMG_4899_1_1_1 by Jane Nishikawa, on Flickr

Thank you for i.d. confirmation!

[Shortsighted]

Anvil-headed brut ... ya, I'd say its a Cooper's.
I'm expecting one any day now, being early December.

[Ally]

I tried to ID that one, but I gave up. Now I fully understand how hard it is to tell a Cooper's from a sharp shinned,especially from photos . I saw a Cooper's this afternoon at Colonel Samuel Smith Park, great thanks to a birder who was taking photos of it. And it was extremely close. Big thanks if you are also on this forum.  Ally

[jnish]

Thank you for your replies and additional photos.  Shortsighted--are Cooper's Hawks more common in winter???  You mentioned that you expect to see one now that it is December.
Still learning!!!

[Shortsighted]

Can't say if Cooper's are more prevalent in late fall but that's when I usually
get to see one. That has not occurred often enough to have statistical cashe.

[lovemypt]

Thank you for your replies and additional photos.  Shortsighted--are Cooper's Hawks more common in winter???  You mentioned that you expect to see one now that it is December.
Still learning!!!

 both species are around GTA all year round, they don't migrate far in city regions

[thouc]

I would say they are more visible in winter, often hanging out around feeders and the like. During nesting season they withdraw into wooded areas. And Sharp-shinned is most common during fall migration in Sep-Oct.

Better pictures doesn't always translate to easier identification. I'm confident Jane's pictures are of a Cooper's Hawk with that shape and size of the head, while I can't positively identify the one in Ally's pictures.

/Thomas