Hawk Sharp Shinned basic information

A mature Sharp Shinned Hawk is usually between ten to 14 inches in length (25 to 36 centimeters) and has a 21 to 22 inch (54 to 56 centimeters) wingspan. As with most hawks, females are larger than males. These lovely birds are predominantly bluish gray. Their undersides are white or cream colored, marked with thin russet colored bars. The under tail coverts are also white. Sharp Shinned Hawks have dark or black bands across their tails and flight feathers. Their heads are marked with black caps and their eyes are red. Juveniles have yellow eyes and are mostly brown. Their undersides are also heavily streaked in brown. The long tails of Sharp Shinned Hawks are square in shape, often marked by a notch. Their heads are relatively small and their bodies are rather stocky in appearance. Their wings also appear relatively short though broad. Sharp Shinned Hawks receive their names from the sharp ridges that run down the length of their bare, long legs.