A small, agile forest hawk that winter-visits Woodline Ranch, using dense cedar thickets and oak canopy for stealthy surprise attacks on small songbirds.
Field Identification: Square-tipped tail with a notch, short rounded wings, slate grey back, and rusty barred breast. Eyes change from yellow in juveniles to deep ruby red in adults.
Texas & Hill Country Notes: The Sharp-shinned Hawk is North America's smallest accipiter hawk, named for the razor-thin ridge running along its yellow shins. Female Sharp-shinned Hawks are up to 30% larger than males, a trait known as reverse sexual size dimorphism.
