I returned home from an errand run the other day to find a beautiful little hawk resting on a low branch of our laurel leaf willow tree, right outside the kitchen window. Certain that it would fly, I sneaked into the house through the basement and snapped a few shots through the window. The bird was very calm and seemed to be enjoying a mid-morning rest, so I quietly opened the door and slowly positioned myself to get a clear view of it from the deck.
This bird, a juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk, sat in peaceful repose, seemingly oblivious to the intense scoldings of the chickadees and nuthatches, who were agitatedly calling while hopping around within the safety of nearby shrubs. From time to time, a White-breasted Nuthatch joined the protest by issuing a series of ank ank ank alarm calls.
It was interesting to watch this magnificent little creature at such close range. It continuously looked around, glanced skyward several times, gave me a couple of intense glares, and stretched its wings and tail feathers. After posing perfectly for several minutes, it finally lifted off and disappeared down the shoreline.
Sharp-shinned Hawks are small, long-tailed accipiters with short, rounded wings. Females are larger than the males, which hold the distinction of being the smallest hawks in Canada. Agile fliers, they are adept at torpedoing at high speeds through the forest, even in dense shrubbery, to grab an unsuspecting songbird.
Bird-feeding stations, which attract high numbers of birds in a concentrated area, are often visited by these wily hunters. They usually ambush their prey and grab it mid-air. They then take it to a “plucking post” where they proceed to methodically eat it. While this process might be difficult to watch, it is an important link in the food chain.
While Sharp-shinned Hawks are considered to be migratory, many overwinter in the province (especially in the southern regions), likely due to the abundance of feeder birds to dine on.
Myrna Pearman is the Resident Naturalist at Chin Ridge Seeds. She is a retired biologist, nature writer, photographer and author of several books. Her books are available at www.myrnapearman.com. She can be reached at myrna@myrnapearman.com.
