Column: These big birds hunt smaller ones at backyard feeders

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 7, 2025

Accipiters are a family of hawks that primarily hunt small woodland birds. They have relatively short wings, enabling them to accelerate quickly. They have long tails that act like rudders, allowing them to maneuver swiftly through forests. They hunt by ambush, flashing in suddenly to snatch an unwary victim. There are three accipiter species in North America. Maine has all three. Sharp-shinned hawks are the smallest. Cooper’s hawks are medium-sized. American goshawks are brutes, roughly the size of a red-tailed hawk. ~ Bob Duchesne