Sharp-shinned Hawks vs. Sharp-shinned Hawks - What is going on?

Sharp-shinned Juveniles Hawks - Battle Faces On! - Gardiner, Washington - Day 1 of my new series on Sharp-shinned Hawks vs. Sharp-shinned Hawks! When not chasing our Steller's Jays they seem to keep busy doing battle with each other. This is what makes my job as a wildlife photographer so rewarding, getting shots like this and seeing the drama of nature unfold.

Juveniles Learning the Ropes

Young Sharp-shinneds are wired for aggression — it’s how they learn.

 • They’ll chase older birds and even mock-grapple midair, testing boundaries and learning aerial combat skills.

 • These “practice fights” help them refine the precise control needed for their ambush-hunting style.

 • Juveniles are often more reckless — you might see them bump or grab feathers without real injury intended.

Sharp-shinned Hawk vs. Sharp-shinned Hawk - "Not in My Territory!" - Gardiner, Washington - Day 2 - Competition Around Food Sources

If you’re seeing this near bird feeders or a place with a lot of jays and small birds, it’s prime real estate for Sharp-shinned Hawks.

 • Multiple hawks may try to use the same hunting zone, leading to chases that end with one bird being forced off.

 • In these moments, the difference between a “training flight” and “serious fight” can blur — especially if hunger drives the behavior.

Sharp-shinned Hawks Playing Chicken Mid-Air - Gardiner, Washington - Yes this is for real!!  - Day 3 - During this time of year (fall into early winter), migration overlap can also bring multiple Sharp-shins through the same area temporarily. That means even unrelated birds from different territories may cross paths — and raptors don’t do diplomacy gracefully.

Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawks - Air Wars - Gardiner, Washington - Day 4 - Juvenile sharp-shinned hawks engage in aerial chases, rolls, and dives together, sometimes even with siblings or other nearby hawks. This is probably part of developing their flying/hunting skills.

Sharp-shinned Hawks - A Walk in the Park - Gardiner, Washington - Day 5 - Juvenile Sharp-shinneds look quite different than adults: they have brown upper parts, heavy brown streaking on the breast, and yellow eyes (which gradually darken with age). Adults have slate-gray upper parts, reddish barring below, and orange to red eyes.

Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk Attacking Mature Sharp-shinned Hawk - Gardiner, Washington - Day 6 - Speed and Agility Benchmark - - In short bursts, Sharp-shinned Hawks can reach speeds over 50 mph and pivot midair at angles that would stall most birds. Watching two of them sparring is witnessing aerial choreography perfected by evolution.

Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk Showing The Mature Hawk Who Rules - Gardiner, Washington - Day 7 - This is a great illustration of the breast markings of a Juvenile above and mature below. Tear Drop markings on Juvenile and Cross Hatch on Mature, and of course yellow eyed Juvenile and Red Eyed Mature.

Sharp-shinned Hawk Landing Up High - Gardiner, Washington - Day 8 - "Let's Wing It" - Short, Rounded Wings for Maneuverability. Sharp-shinned hawks have relatively short, broad, and rounded wings compared with longer-winged raptors like falcons. That compact shape reduces the turning radius dramatically. It allows them to zigzag through dense forest canopies and weave between branches while chasing songbirds. They can bank, roll, and brake almost instantly — critical when hunting in cluttered environments.

Sharp-Shinned Hawk Juvenile Fluffed - Gardiner, Washington - Day 9 - Masters of Misidentification- They’re notoriously hard to tell apart from Cooper’s Hawks. Even experts debate ID sometimes. One rule of thumb: Sharp-shinneds have thinner legs (“pencil-shins”) and smaller heads that don’t project much beyond the wings in flight.

Sharp-shinned Juveniles Hot Pursuit - Gardiner, Washington - Day 10 - High Aspect Ratio Tail as a Rudder

While the wings provide thrust and lift, the long, narrow tail acts like an adjustable rudder. It flares, twists, and fans open to fine-tune direction and balance. This synergy between tail and wing lets the hawk make split-second course corrections, matching the frantic darts of smaller prey.

Sharp-shinned Hawk in Dive - Gardiner, Washington - Day 11 - Typical Dive Speed

Sharp-shinned hawks can reach 50 to 60 mph (80–95 km/h) in a steep dive. That’s impressive considering their small body size (about the size of a jay). Their relatively short, rounded wings don’t maximize top speed — instead, they’re tuned for tight control and short bursts of acceleration.

Even though they can’t hit the 200 mph stoops of falcons, their reaction time and maneuverability are unmatched. When they dive through forest gaps or down on prey near the canopy, they use micro-adjustments with the tail and wings to stay locked on target. They rely on precision over pure velocity, often launching surprise attacks from short range.

Fun Comparison

 • Sharp-shinned Hawk: ~50–60 mph in a dive

 • Cooper’s Hawk (slightly larger cousin): ~60–70 mph

 • Peregrine Falcon: ~200+ mph (specialized long-wing stoop)

Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawks Battling - Gardiner, Washington - Day 12 - The sharp-shinned hawk’s wings aren’t built for long-distance flight — they’re built for precision, agility, and ambush. Every structural feature, from the wing shape to the tail dynamics, serves its style of forest hunting and quick-strike predation. I sincerely hope this series had educated you on these wonderful hawks, and that you can now see and identify them in the field, or your yard. Up next.....Sharp-shinned Hawks welcoming our murder of crows. Wait till you get a look at this series!! Yeehaw!