Diet
What do sharp-shinned hawks eat?
Almost entirely small songbirds, taken on the wing.
Hawks and eagles (Accipitridae)Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus
Spring and summer diet
- Warblers, sparrows and finches
Fall and winter diet
- Feeder birds, especially juncos and sparrows
Best feeder foods
- None — it hunts live prey at feeders
A winter regular at busy feeders; dense shrub cover near feeding areas gives small birds an escape route.
Where sharp-shinned hawks need winter food
Regions where sharp-shinned hawks are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVermontVirginiaWest VirginiaWisconsin
Frequently asked
What do sharp-shinned hawks eat?
Almost entirely small songbirds, taken on the wing.
What is the best food to feed sharp-shinned hawks?
None — it hunts live prey at feeders.
What do sharp-shinned hawks eat in winter?
Feeder birds, especially juncos and sparrows.
Sources
- Sharp-shinned Hawk — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Sharp-shinned Hawk life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Sharp-shinned Hawk — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.