Sighting details
Location
near Edmonton, 01

Geobirds Local >>

rarityCooper's Hawk (1)
Seen by Joanne_B
Larger >>
When April 23, 2008 at 17:25
Details UNCOMMON
Notes Here is another photo of the cooper's.... showing the tail. Not sure how to add more than one photo at a time?
Weather

Comments 

user jim macgregor, Apr 26 2008
-this tail, in the "spring" of the year, shows how much wear and tear it has taken through fall and winter; we might want to conclude that it looks squared on the corners and has no terminal band and is therefore a Sharpie, but you have to consider the time of the year.
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user TawnyOwl15, Apr 26 2008
Well put, Jim. You're absolutely right in saying that you need to consider the time of year. It's interesting how the corners do look semi squared, when the rest of the tail feathers look rounded. That's what you also need to look at. If the all the tail feathers are squared off, then you can make a very educated guess on whether it's a Sharpie or Cooper's.
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user Joanne_B, Apr 26 2008
For sure...... the tail looks rounded to me but apparently not to some...... Dad still isn't sure. It's funny..... in the past I get a picture of something and ask Dad or someone to identify it.... it's usally "well if you just got the tail" or "if it was in flight" etc..... so this time, I think I got all options - ha ha - and it's STILL a pain to identify!! Oh well..... I'm calling it a cooper's. :-) Joanne
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user flighty, Apr 26 2008
Well, whichever it is, it's a beautiful photo of an impressive bird.
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user TawnyOwl15, Apr 26 2008
I just spotted a Sharpie this afternoon. Not only is the tail a good identification tip, but if you imagine a crow perched next to that, and they're about the same size (give or take a bit depending on male or female) then it's more than likely a Cooper's. However, if you do the same with that, only imagine a Blue Jay next to it, and it's roughly the same size, then you can assume that it's a Sharpie. Just a helpful hint ;).
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user Joanne_B, Apr 27 2008
If I were to imagine a crow next to mine - they would be about the same size. Or a magpie. :-) Bluejay..... much smaller. That's what my Mom said..... " why didn't you take a picture of a bluejay beside it??" - ha ha! (I have tons of bluejays in my backyard). I was standing within a few feet of it for quite a while.... he kept glaring at me for interuppting his sparrow-hunt - ha ha ! Joanne
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user TawnyOwl15, Apr 27 2008
Then I would imagine that that is a Coopers. I was watching my feeders today, and saw a Sharpie (I'm guessing that it's the same one that I saw yesterday) and he picked off a good looking female House Sparrow. After he caught it, he perched himself on my fence, and started eating it. It was a marvelous thing to see!
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user Joanne_B, Apr 27 2008
How awesome..... wish mine would have done that!! Joanne
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