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Hawks
are carnivores (meat eaters) who belong to the category
of birds known as raptors -- birds of prey. They have strong,
hooked beaks; their feet have three toes pointed forward
and one turned back; and their claws, or talons, are long,
curved and very sharp. Prey is killed with the long talons
and, if it is too large to swallow whole, it is torn to
bite-sized pieces with the hawk's beak.
Based on general body shape and flight habits, hawks are
classified into three different groups (genera): the Accipiters,
the Falcons and the Buteos. The Sharp-shinned Hawk, the
Cooper's Hawk and the Goshawk are Accipiters. They have
long tails and short, rounded wings that enable them to
dart through and around trees in pursuit of other birds,
their principal prey. Typically, they fly low with a series
of rapid wing beats followed by a brief period of sailing,
then another series of wing beats. Accipiters are associated
with brush and timbered areas.
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