American Kestrel vs Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Spotted a tiny bird of prey but can’t tell if it is an American Kestrel or a Sharp-shinned hawk? We’ve got you covered. Learn the key differences and become a confident raptor identifier, no head-scratching required!

American Kestrel vs. Sharp-shinned Hawk: Plumage characteristics

Sharp-shinned Hawk:

The Sharp-shinned Hawk has blue-gray unmarked upperparts. The underparts are barred with orange-brown on the breast and belly. It has short broad wings with rounded tips and a relatively long tail, which allow Sharpies (as they are frequently called) navigate dense forests at high speed.

Sharp-shinned hawks are more frequently seen during their southward migration in the fall. They are known to visit bird feeders, not for the birdseed, but for the small birds that are attracted to the feeders.

The male and Female have blue-gray upperparts and dark bands on the tail. They have reddish-brown bars on the breast and belly. It has a proportionally small head and large eyes. As with some other birds of prey, the female is larger than the male, which is readily noticed when both sexes are perched side by side.

Feature	American Kestrel	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Upperparts:	Male: Rich rusty brown back with black barring, transitioning to gray-blue wings. The tail is orange-brown with no barring but a broad black terminal band. Female: All the upperparts and the tail are rusty brown with black barring. It has a terminal black band in the tail but is narrow.	Male and Female: Blue-gray upperparts with large white spots. The tail is also blue-gray with broad dark/black bands. Immature: It has dark brown upperparts with a variable amount of white spots. The long tail is about the same color as the back with bark bands.
Underparts:	Male: Buff to pale orange underparts with streaks and bold black dots concentrated on the chest and sides. Variable. Female: Pale to buff with heavy brown to graying brown streaking. Also variable.	Male and Female: Both sexes have horizontal reddish-brown bars on the breast and belly. Immature: It has thick brown streaks on the breast and belly. The eyes are yellow.
Head Markings:	Key Feature: Boldly patterned head with two prominent black stripes on the sides of the head.	No markings.
Head Color:	The top of the head is bluish-gray with a warm orange-brown center of the crown in some forma or all bluish-gray in others.	Blue-gray top of the head (forehead-crown and nape). Throat and lower half of the head of similar color as the neck and breast. Immature birds have a less contrasting brown top of the head and lighter brown lower half.
Tail:	Both sexes have a long and narrow tail. The male has an orange-brown tail with a bold black terminal band. The female American Kestrel has a rusty-brown tail with black barring. The black terminal band varies in thickness.	Both sexes: Long tail of the same color as the upperparts with broad dark bands. Browner in immature birds.
Seasonal Variations:	Males show brighter plumage, especially on the back and underparts, during breeding season.	No particular color variation with seasons other than brighter fresh plumages after molting.

Size and Shape Showdown: American Kestrel vs. Sharp-shinned Hawk

Unveiling the differences between these two birds of prey starts with dissecting their physical characteristics. Let’s take a close-up look at their size, shape, and wing design:

Feature	American Kestrel	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Overall Size:	Smaller, more delicate and slender, resembling a large (long-tailed) robin. Weight: 4.1 oz Wingspan: 22″	Slightly larger and stockier. Small males are of similar size as kestrels, but females are larger. It has proportionally shorter wings. Weight: 3 to 8 oz Wingspan: 17-22 “
Tail Length:	Long and relatively narrow, often held slightly spread during flight.	Long, showing a square tail when spread in flight.
Body Proportions:	Head appears proportional to the size of the bird.	Small head relative to the body.

Flight style and function: Kestrel vs. Sharp-shinned Hawk

The flight pattern hunting style are distinctive features that separates the American Kestrel from a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

• American Kestrel: Hunts its prey using a sit-and-wait technique. They sit on a perch or any vantage point to scan the ground for prey.
• The American Kestrel is a master of havering. When perches are not available, kestrels hover over short vegetation to spot their prey on the ground.

Once a prey item is spotted, kestrels either drop from a perch to swoop down on the prey item or if the bird is hovering, it drops to the ground to capture it. During normal or direct flight moving from one place to another, they can perform opportunistic dives on insects or small birds.

When an American Kestrel is seen flying, it is likely that it is moving from one place to another, not hunting.

• Sharp-shinned Hawk: Hunts primarily by darting through woodlands in pursuit of songbirds. It ambushes its prey engaging in short by fast aerial chases. While they may also hunt in semi open woodlands, Sharp-shinned Hawks never sit and wait for prey in open habitats with short vegetation.

Feature	American Kestrel	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Flight Patterns:	More leisurely and undulating flight, often hovering extensively and scanning for prey below.	Normally flies through trees and above the canopy with a direct flight. It also rides thermals. The wings are pushed forward when gliding.
Wing Beats:	Shallow and deliberate wing beats, creating a graceful, buoyant appearance.	A few quick wingbeats followed by a short glide with wide open wings. It often glides for longer periods depending on the wind speed.
Wing shape:	Long, narrow wings with slightly rounded tips. These details can be difficult to see in the field.	Proportionally short, broad wings with rounded tips. This type of wing shape offer greater maneuverability in dense foliage.
Hovering:	Masterful hoverer, remaining virtually stationary while searching for prey.	Not known to hover except perhaps in special circumstances.
Hunting Style:	Opportunistic ambush predator, often hovering or perching before diving on insects, lizards, small birds, and rodents.	Quick-speed pursuit chasing small birds within the forest and forest edges. I has an incredible agility to sort through foliage.
Prey Preference:	Primarily insects, supplemented by lizards, small mammals, and occasionally small birds.	Primarily small birds, including songbirds, sparrows, and blue jays.

Kestrel vs. Sharp-shinned Hawk: calls and screeches

Both, American Kestrels and Sharp-shinned Hawks are not songsters by any means. But familiarizing yourself with their calls and screeches you’ll add another aspect towards understanding these birds. Their, vocalizations can vary depending on context and individual bird. Pay attention to the pitch, tone, and repetition of calls for a clear identification.

Kestrel vs. Sharp-shinned Hawk Range and Habitat

Both the American Kestrel and Sharp-shinned Hawk segregate themselves to different habitats.

American Kestrel: Hunts in open habitats, preferably, with suitable perches. It favors open expanses with short vegetation, ideal for scanning the ground for prey.

Sharp-shinned Hawk: Favors forest interior, forest edges, and semi-open woodlands. They perch quietly on branches in places near where birds congregate waiting for the right time to launch an attack on unassuming prey.

Range

• The range of these small raptors overlap across much of North America. The American Kestrel breeds through North America whereas the Sharp-shinned Hawk does not breed in Southern United States where it is only a winter visitor.

Feature	American Kestrel	Sharp-shinned Hawk
Preferred Habitats:	Open fields, meadows, grasslands, agricultural lands, edges of woodlands and forests.	Woodlands, woodlots, semi-open forests, and urban areas with many trees.
Geographical Range:	Breeds across North America, from Alaska, Canada to Mexico. Winters from just below the border of Canada to Mexico and Central America.	Breeds across Northern North America, Canada, and Alaska. It breeds in the northern fourth of most Southern States where it is mostly a winter visitor.
Areas of Overlap:	Overlaps with the Sharp-shinned Hawk in semi open habitats and urban areas with trees.	Overlaps with Kestrels throughout its breeding range and wintering grounds. But is restricted to wooded areas.
Habitat Specificity:	Adaptable to various open areas, able to utilize human-modified landscapes.	Prefer wooded areas, but adapts well to suburban areas with plenty of trees.

Conclusions and field tips for spotting Kestrels and Sharp-shinned Hawks

So you’ve spotted a small bird of prey overhead, but is it a “Kestrel or a Sharp-shinned Hawk?” Here are some field-tested tips to help you identify the bird like a pro:

Size and Shape:

• Kestrel: Think larger than a robin-sized, slender and graceful with long tail and narrow wings.
• Sharp-shinned Hawk: Think of a bird larger than a a blue jay and smaller than a rock dove (females are larger than males). Tends to perch more vertically, with its long tail pointing down.

Plumage:

• Kestrel: Look for a patterned head, rusty back barred with black, blue-gray wings (male), pale underparts with bold black dots and streaks (male), brown streaks (female).
• Sharp-shinned Hawk: Blue-gray upperparts, reddish-brown barring on breast and belly. Immatures have dark brown upperparts and dark streaking on the breast and belly.

Flight and Hunting:

• Kestrel: Observe leisurely, buoyant flight with frequent hovering and undulating wing beats. Look for a bird perched on branches, utility poles or wire scanning the ground below for insects or small animals. Listen for the typical calls.
• Sharp-shinned Hawk: Think of a bird that takes a few quick wingbeats and glides. Lurks quietly in inside the forest to ambush small bird that catches after quick pursuits.

Lighting and Distance:

• Low light or distance: When perched, focus on overall size, posture, body proportions. Kestrels often appear lighter and more delicate, while Sharp-shinned hawks look more stocky, perch more vertically with a dropping long tail. The habitat type where a bird is seen should be the primary consideration.
• In flight Kestrels are even more delicate, have longer and narrow wings and have a more continuous flight.
• Sharp-shinned hawks are more revealing in Flight. A few quick and snappy wingbeats followed by a short glide, and short and rounded wings should reveal a Sharp-shinned Hawk.
• Good lighting and close proximity: Pay attention to plumage details like black barring on the upperpart in kestrels vs solid gray-blue in Sharp-shines. The kestrel’s rusty-brown back and blue-gray wings (male) and rusty upperparts barred with black in the female are key giveaways
• There no barring of any type on the upperparts, nor facial markings on a Sharp-shinned Hawk. The solid blue-gray on the upperparts is a key key give away.

Bonus Tips:

• Check the tail: Kestrels have long, orange/rusty narrow tails, while Sharp-shines have a proportionally longer, blue-gray tail with dark bands.
• Consider the context: Sharp-shinned hawks are forest birds, while Kestrels birds of open habitats.
• Consult field guides and birding apps: Visual aids and detailed descriptions can help solidify your identification.

But remember, this is just the beginning of your small raptor fascination! With practice, you’ll transform from spectator to avian detective. So, keep your eyes scanning the skies, your ears tuned for their calls, and your heart open to the wonder of these magnificent predators.

Ready to take your identification skills to the next level? Check out these resources for further exploration:

• Online field guides and bird photography websites. Immerse yourself in detailed descriptions and stunning visuals.
• Local birding groups and events. Connect with fellow bird enthusiasts and swap birding tales.
• Volunteer for conservation initiatives. Contribute to protecting these falcons and their habitats.

And finally, share your own spotting experiences! Leave a comment below and tell us about your encounters with these small raptors.

References

• Johnsgard, P. 1990. Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons of North America. United States: Smithsonian Institution.
• Smallwood, J. A. and D. M. Bird (2020). American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.

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