Bird ID Help, Please

[nwfloridafalconfan]

Photographed by my sister near the beach in Santa Cruz, California.

http://pc.cd/ugF

http://pc.cd/fgF

http://pc.cd/GnF

[Dumpsterkitty]

Immature Cooper's Hawk is my first thought

   

Immature Northern Goshawk is another thought



Though the tail banding is more distinct on your sister's bird

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[NoraH]

That's what I was thinking, Coop or Sharpie.  Was it dove or crow size?

http://static.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/accipiterIDtable.htm

[Dumpsterkitty]

That's what I was thinking, Coop or Sharpie.  Was it dove or crow size?

http://static.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/accipiterIDtable.htm

The one time I actually saw a sharpie live I was astounded how small they actually are.

Sharpie is a good possibility too, though the tail looks rounded rather than straight...hard to tell for sure.

[Paul Hamilton]

I think it is a Cooper's Hawk, based upon size.

Paul

[nwfloridafalconfan]

That's what I was thinking, Coop or Sharpie.  Was it dove or crow size?

http://static.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/accipiterIDtable.htm

From her vantage point, she's saying bigger than a crow.  That would lean toward Cooper's Hawk, but the coloring seemed darker than other photos I've seen.  I'm not seeing the trademark yellow eyes of a juvenile, but the hawk many have been too distant for the camera to pick up that detail.  Oh, I've just come across a Cooper's photo with the darker coloring.  Looks pretty close:  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/coopers_hawk/id

[nwfloridafalconfan]

Thanks for the replies.  Here is Cornell's answer to my email:

A Northern Goshawk does not have rufous barring on the chest, only dark brown vertical stripes as a juvenile or gray bars as an adult. But more importantly, the tail is too short for any of the accipiters, and the white bars in the tail are too bright. This is a Red-shouldered Hawk. You can learn more about them on the Lab's All About Birds website:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-shouldered_Hawk/id

Happy FeederWatching,
Anne Marie Johnson
Project Assistant

Project FeederWatch
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
http://feederwatch.org
(607) 254-2416

[Dumpsterkitty]

Thanks for the replies.  Here is Cornell's answer to my email:

 This is a Red-shouldered Hawk.

Well I'll be dipped. It's not one I even thought of. Thanks!

[NoraH]

Me either, but I've never seen one.  Glad you found out! 

[NoraH]

   I've never seen a Red-Shouldered, or maybe I have and didn't know it.  Thanx for passing your reply from Cornell along, good to know!!