Buffalo New York here. Blossoming falconer in training also. I just had an encounter with a sharp-shinned hawk that was hiding in some very thick brush that bordered a creek. The thick brush was overgrown on a hill that sloped towards the creek. I at first thought it was a juvenile red-tailed hawk so I whipped out my Merlin app to identify its call. The Merlin app told me it was a sharpshin hawk much to my surprise. What makes this encounter so special is before I decided to whip my Merlin app out I began mimicking it's call back to it. Add much to my surprise it seemed eager and excited to answer back. I sat there for 15 minutes and had what felt like a conversation with this sharp-shinned hawk. This led me to this video as I was originally going to go with a juvenile red tail hawk as my first falcon bird. I might choose Sharp shinned as I feel like I have a special connection to one
You should do a video on sparrowhawks including European Sparrowhawk and Black Sparrowhawk. Plus sharp-shinned hawks remind me of the Besra of Southeast Asia
Been looking into flying one for a long time, very glad you did an in depth discussion on them. One of my favorite videos of yours is the one on how to find sharp shinned hawk nests, and I hope to use that information soon
I'd love to fly one in the future! Quick note, here in the DR, they're the nominal subspecies but almost separated. They can be spotted hunting scaly naped pigeons in the forest, which is incredible.
Thank you so much for this video! I’ve got a lady sharp shinned who occasionally visits my feeder to snack on the sparrows and I’m so happy to know more about them
I've flown 5 or 6 passage Sharpies in my life and you're absolutely correct. More fun than any falconry bird out there. Prey is everywhere so no need to drive 500 miles to find suitable quarry. There is some small bird right in your backyard to chase with the Sharp-shin. Love these little guys
I've flown a lot of imprint sharp-shinned hawks, and in my experience they are far more agile than a male Cooper's on small quarry. But, I gotta say, car-hawking starlings in my area in Utah is not easy in late summer and early fall. Most starlings are feeding up in Russian olive trees or catching flies in the air by making short flights from utility wires. Finding starlings feeding on the ground can be tough in August and September.
Love me some sharpie's. Great vid. I reduced the chances of stuff going wrong with a sharpie by only field Hawking. Still had coop's come in but no collisions with anything that way. There twice the work of any other hawk but twice the fun
I have flown 3 passages. They are amazing! Like a 100% kill rate from the glove or t-perch. However, they need daily attention to keep a good temperment.
One thing I don't ever remember you speaking about is the lifespan of raptors. It would be interesting to know average lifespan for both wild raptors and ones kept for falconry.
Ben, does the "sharp shin" even distinguish a Sharpie from a small male cooper's and its legs? As a bird watcher, I Don't even notice much (if any) difference until we get to female cooper's and their much thicker (and sure, more rounded) legs.
@@LutherAEvans kind of….. that section of their legs are basically just skin and tendon. So they do have a bit of a sharp edge on the sides. But it was hardly worth the inspiration of the name. Lots of small raptors also have sharp shins. I think they should have named them the American Sparrowhawk
He said near the end of the video that the sharp-shinned he considers more delicate than a Merlin or a Kestrel. (They are an accipiter, though. Wild accipiter skeletons show that they spend their lives breaking and healing bones from tree chases, indicating a high recovery rate.)
I know I am not Ben but I have flown multiples of each bird. Kestrels are actually quite robust compared to a sharpie when it comes to food plus husbandry. For example you could feed kestrels commercial bought for a extended time. A sharpie would die. Sharpie's are only good on small fresh bird diet every day.
Here in England and as an experienced falconer..I can honestly say iv never heard of this species..bad I know,as I’m an avid goshawk hunter..but by looking at the intro..is a “sharp shin” and a “sparrow hawk” the same?
You could say that the "sharp shin" is North America's "sparrow hawk". That's what he said. I believe your sparrow hawk is a little bit bigger than our sharp shin hawks size wise.
No, I fly sparrowhawks and used to fly goshawks. Eurasion sparrowhawks are slightly bigger than sharp shinned hawks. They look almost identicle though. We don't have a coopers hawk sized accipter in Europe, so our sparrowhawks tend to be bigger (especially females) and male goshawks slightly smaller than North American goshawks to fill in the gap.
Buffalo New York here. Blossoming falconer in training also. I just had an encounter with a sharp-shinned hawk that was hiding in some very thick brush that bordered a creek. The thick brush was overgrown on a hill that sloped towards the creek. I at first thought it was a juvenile red-tailed hawk so I whipped out my Merlin app to identify its call. The Merlin app told me it was a sharpshin hawk much to my surprise. What makes this encounter so special is before I decided to whip my Merlin app out I began mimicking it's call back to it. Add much to my surprise it seemed eager and excited to answer back. I sat there for 15 minutes and had what felt like a conversation with this sharp-shinned hawk. This led me to this video as I was originally going to go with a juvenile red tail hawk as my first falcon bird. I might choose Sharp shinned as I feel like I have a special connection to one
You should do a video on sparrowhawks including European Sparrowhawk and Black Sparrowhawk. Plus sharp-shinned hawks remind me of the Besra of Southeast Asia
Thank you so much, Ben!! Always wondered about sharpies!!
Been looking into flying one for a long time, very glad you did an in depth discussion on them. One of my favorite videos of yours is the one on how to find sharp shinned hawk nests, and I hope to use that information soon
I'd love to fly one in the future! Quick note, here in the DR, they're the nominal subspecies but almost separated. They can be spotted hunting scaly naped pigeons in the forest, which is incredible.
Thank you so much for this video! I’ve got a lady sharp shinned who occasionally visits my feeder to snack on the sparrows and I’m so happy to know more about them
I've flown 5 or 6 passage Sharpies in my life and you're absolutely correct. More fun than any falconry bird out there. Prey is everywhere so no need to drive 500 miles to find suitable quarry. There is some small bird right in your backyard to chase with the Sharp-shin. Love these little guys
I've flown a lot of imprint sharp-shinned hawks, and in my experience they are far more agile than a male Cooper's on small quarry. But, I gotta say, car-hawking starlings in my area in Utah is not easy in late summer and early fall. Most starlings are feeding up in Russian olive trees or catching flies in the air by making short flights from utility wires. Finding starlings feeding on the ground can be tough in August and September.
Can you please make a tame hacking video doesnt matter how long the video is the more the better. Not much out there on the net about it.
Love me some sharpie's. Great vid. I reduced the chances of stuff going wrong with a sharpie by only field Hawking. Still had coop's come in but no collisions with anything that way. There twice the work of any other hawk but twice the fun
I have flown 3 passages. They are amazing! Like a 100% kill rate from the glove or t-perch. However, they need daily attention to keep a good temperment.
Love this video Ben. Right to the point and spot-on with the information!😎👍
One thing I don't ever remember you speaking about is the lifespan of raptors. It would be interesting to know average lifespan for both wild raptors and ones kept for falconry.
Though I will say, my sharpie was very nicely trained, he was a great bird
Ben, does the "sharp shin" even distinguish a Sharpie from a small male cooper's and its legs? As a bird watcher, I Don't even notice much (if any) difference until we get to female cooper's and their much thicker (and sure, more rounded) legs.
Great birds, Cooper's were more fun, mostly because of the wider variety of prey.
I see tons of sharp shins where I live, one just killed a mockingbird in my yard the other day. Any updates on the gyr you were raising Ben?
❤🎉
keep looking and cant find a way to contact you ,,, whats the best way
Thanks for the video! Are their shins really sharper than the shins of other raptors?
@@LutherAEvans kind of….. that section of their legs are basically just skin and tendon. So they do have a bit of a sharp edge on the sides. But it was hardly worth the inspiration of the name. Lots of small raptors also have sharp shins. I think they should have named them the American Sparrowhawk
@@benwoodrufffalconry Understood. I appreciate your opinion.
What's your favorite raptor for taking european starlings?
In open country, probably a Merlin or a male peregrine working the entire flock. In direct pursuit flights, a Cooper’s hawk.
So, Ben, you say that sharp shinned hawks are very delicate. Would you say that they are more or less delicate than a American kestrel?
He said near the end of the video that the sharp-shinned he considers more delicate than a Merlin or a Kestrel. (They are an accipiter, though. Wild accipiter skeletons show that they spend their lives breaking and healing bones from tree chases, indicating a high recovery rate.)
I know I am not Ben but I have flown multiples of each bird. Kestrels are actually quite robust compared to a sharpie when it comes to food plus husbandry. For example you could feed kestrels commercial bought for a extended time. A sharpie would die. Sharpie's are only good on small fresh bird diet every day.
Seen one catch a starling.
Here in England and as an experienced falconer..I can honestly say iv never heard of this species..bad I know,as I’m an avid goshawk hunter..but by looking at the intro..is a “sharp shin” and a “sparrow hawk” the same?
You could say that the "sharp shin" is North America's "sparrow hawk". That's what he said. I believe your sparrow hawk is a little bit bigger than our sharp shin hawks size wise.
@@chriskitchen4772 interesting..really surprised how iv never seen one flown here in the uk..seeing as there pretty much everything else
No, I fly sparrowhawks and used to fly goshawks. Eurasion sparrowhawks are slightly bigger than sharp shinned hawks. They look almost identicle though. We don't have a coopers hawk sized accipter in Europe, so our sparrowhawks tend to be bigger (especially females) and male goshawks slightly smaller than North American goshawks to fill in the gap.