Sharp-shinned Hawk

The “Sharpie,” as it is affectionately called, is New Hampshire’s smallest “accipiter.” The latter name comes from the species’ genus, which includes two other hawks in the state: Cooper’s and American Goshawk. These are but three of dozens of species found worldwide, all of which are forest-dwellers that feed primarily on birds. All accipiters have relatively short, rounded wings which allow for increased maneuverability as they pursue their prey through woods and thickets.

Because Sharp-shinned Hawks are secretive during the nesting season and occur in low densities, getting solid data on populations is difficult. Historically it was considered relatively common, and during the Breeding Bird Atlas in the 1980s it significantly outnumbered the larger Cooper’s Hawk. In recent years, however, proportions of the two species seem to have flipped, as Cooper’s has spread throughout the state. Sharp-shins are still common during migration, where totals at hawk watches are second only to those of the Broad-winged Hawk, but numbers have been declining.

Reasons for the decline are poorly understood. Historically, the species was persecuted for its bird-eating habitats and negatively affected by DDT and other pesticides, but both threats have largely been eliminated. Attention has turned instead to habitat changes on its expansive breeding grounds in the boreal forest of Canada, which could result from climate change or changes to harvesting practices. It’s even been proposed that declines in migratory songbirds could reduce reproductive success. Alternatively, the sharpie’s dependance on songbirds could result in more individuals remaining north in the winter to prey on feeder birds, and not migrating as far. This is called “short-stopping” and can result in negative population trends at migration sites simply because fewer hawks are migrating as far as they used to.