Unknown accipiter --can anyone give clues without a photo? Its solid medium gray underside and lack of underside barring or streaking has us puzzled.
SEEN: 06-12-08 7 p.m. Suburb of North Indianapolis Indiana backyard --standing on the ground with grackles and robins diving and screaming at it. This area has some woodlands (maple, oak, walnut and beech) a 2 miles away--otherwise it is farmland and housing). This suburb is gaining some maturity to its trees so there is a plethora of songbirds.
HGT above ground: 11-12" Max.
COLOR: Dark slate gray upper -- medium-gray throat, chest & belly. From 40 feet away, underside was very consistently shaded no barring nor streaking on underside. Unsure about the dark slate upper.
HEAD: seemed slightly square at back CROWN: Yes. Raised slightly when other birds were attacking--dark slate or black from close to bill to back of head. Nape was similar in shape to an adult Sharp-shinned Hawk or Cooper's Hawk.
WING: Dark -- unknown flight shape. Its back was to us as it disappeared too quickly low between houses before we could determine a flight pattern.
TAIL: broad fan-shape and multiple bars (dark and light--maybe white)
I have looked at all juvenille & adult photos and do not see any resemblances.
I hope someone else has experienced the same type of siting.
Aunt Laney
