Actually I need help with identification of a hawk. I was in the process of identifying birds and gauging their numbers when a hawk descended and had lunch. Poor little songbird! I, unfortunately, witnessed the entire event as I could not make a definite identification. Just as I got my camera out, he/she left. So, if anyone can help with my very rudimentary description, I would be grateful. It had a rufous streaked breast, was about 17 -19 ", dark head, shortish black/white striped tail. It's front feathers sat down around it's legs so that it looked like it had on leggings! From my two bird ID books, I've determined it looked like a sharp-shinned or cooper's although it's tail was shorter and it had a totally dark head(cap and all). The breast was similar though. So, I looked at the red-shouldered (mine had no red on the shoulders at all) and the broad-winged which was the closest match. My bird book says they winter in Central and South America so I am officially puzzled. Any help would be appreciated. I am still new at identifying hawks, buteos and such but will become much better, I'm sure, now that they seem to be appearing regularly around my bird feeders! Nancy Weidner Rocky River, OH Nancy "Nobody sees a flower - really- it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like having a friend takes time." - Georgia O'Keefe, Artist Nancy "Nobody sees a flower - really- it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like having a friend takes time." - Georgia O'Keefe, Artist ____________________________________________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. http://new.mail.yahoo.com ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]