Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

The smaller of the Missouri accipiters, the Sharp-shinned Hawk has a more buoyant flight than the Cooper's Hawk. In Missouri (Kritz 1989) and throughout much of their range, Sharp-shinned Hawks select dense even-aged pine stands for nesting (Reynolds et al. 1982). All but two of the 17 nests that Kritz (1989) found were in Short-leaf Pine (Pinus echinata) plantations. Nests were often situated in a whorl of branches near the top of a tree.

Code Frequency

Sharp-shinned Hawks are secretive and harder to find during the breeding season than during migratory periods because they select dense forest cover for nesting. Therefore, they were no doubt more plentiful and more widely distributed than Atlas Project data indicate. On the other hand, it is conceivable that some of the possible records resulted from late-departing migrants. This species is often confused with the similar Cooper's Hawk.

Distribution

Sharp-shinned Hawks were mainly found in the Osage Plains, Ozark, and Ozark Border natural divisions with two scattered records from the Glaciated Plains. The Atlas Project indicated they may be more widespread than previously thought, with records from 29 counties in the Ozark, Ozark Border and Osage Plains natural divisions. Kritz (1989) located 17 nests in 1985-1986 in the eastern Ozark and Ozark Border natural divisions, finding them in 11 of the most continuously forested counties in the Ozarks. However, he searched only areas in which he believed he had the best opportunity of finding breeders.

Average Number of Birds / 100 stops

Abundance

While detected on Miniroutes in both the Osage Plains and Ozark natural divisions we know very little about the abundance of the species. Based on Kritz's (1989) work and the Atlas Project findings, there are likely fewer that 50 nests statewide.

Phenology

In Kritz's 1989 study, egg laying occurred between May and July, hatching between June and August and young fledged between July and September.

Breeding Evidence

Reported in 32 (2.7%) of 1,207 blocks

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