Juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawk

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small hawk. In fact, "sharp-shins" or "sharpies" are the smallest to reside in USA and Canada, though some Neotropical species are smaller . The taxonomy is far from resolved, with some authorities considering the southern taxa three separate species: White-breasted Hawk , Plain-breasted Hawk and Rufous-thighed Hawk . See taxonomy for further on this.