Coopers Hawk?

[Howieh]

Wow, I just happened to look out the window as a gorgeous (fairly small) hawk landed in the bush right in front of me. Looked like a coopers hawk but the breast was a uniform orange colour (rather than mottled). He flew to the ground but was gone when I got outside with my camera. Any ideas - on my way out but will check back here later. Thanks.

[thouc]

If it's fairly small it might be a Sharp-shinned Hawk. The orange should still be mottled though.

/Thomas

[Howieh]

It could have been mottled but it was quite orange. A pretty exciting sight for someone who is used to seeing only sparrows, chickadees and cardinals (well, ok, squirrels too!!) at the feeder. I'm in the Bayview-Steeles area btw.

[worth]

I'm in the Bayview/Steeles area also (on Newton Dr) and most winters have seen Cooper's and Sharpies in the area. On the weekend I had an adult Sharpie sitting in the tree in the backyard surveying the feeders, yesterday it flew by the front window and into the neighbour's yard. A couple of years ago I came home to find a Cooper's sitting in the backyard with a Mourning Dove in it's talons. When I got out of the car it hopped under some bushes along the fence line and spent the next 6 hours eating the Dove before it flew off.
Dave

[Howieh]

Hi Dave,

Based on this I'd guess it was a sharpie!

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutB ... Dtable.htm

I'm on Harrington Cres. right across from Bestview Park; winter is quiet but I'm there frequently from late March til early Nov. and I have seen several hawks (couldn't id them except to say they were NOT the local redtails) in the woods close to the tennis courts. Last summer one of my backyard neighbours pruned two of his trees to the point where they look like twenty foot high stumps so I was hoping someone would decide to check out my feeder from one of the ready made perches - not that I want any of the locals harmed you understand!, but so far no luck! Have you taken any pictures of your local predators?