Public Helps UK Scientists Uncover Hawk Diets

Citizen science data reveals Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks' bird-focused hunting habits.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 12:08am

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones of green, brown, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circular forms, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the hunting behaviors and prey preferences of Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks based on a scientific study.Citizen science data reveals the distinct hunting preferences of two common backyard hawk species, shedding light on their ecological roles.Lexington Today

A University of Kentucky study led by researchers in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources analyzed thousands of photos shared by citizen scientists on the iNaturalist platform to gain unprecedented insights into the diets of two common backyard hawk species - the Cooper's Hawk and the Sharp-shinned Hawk. The findings show both hawks are primarily bird hunters, with the larger Cooper's Hawk favoring larger prey like doves and pigeons, while the smaller Sharp-shinned Hawk almost exclusively targets smaller birds.

Why it matters

Understanding the hunting behaviors and prey preferences of these two hawk species is valuable information for birdwatchers, homeowners, and wildlife researchers. The study highlights the growing importance of citizen science in filling knowledge gaps about common but understudied wildlife.

The details

The research team reviewed nearly 75,000 photographs from iNaturalist to identify thousands of predation events by Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks. They found Cooper's Hawks strongly prefer birds, especially larger prey like rock pigeons and mourning doves, while Sharp-shinned Hawks almost exclusively hunt smaller bird species like European starlings and house sparrows. The size difference between the two hawk species appears to drive their prey selection, with Cooper's Hawks able to take down larger birds.

  • The study was published in April 2026.

The players

University of Kentucky

The public research university where the study was conducted by researchers in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Will Gibson

A first-year Master's student in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources who helped lead the study.

Darin McNeil

An assistant professor of wildlife management at the University of Kentucky's Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

iNaturalist

The citizen science platform where thousands of photos used in the study were shared by the public.

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What they’re saying

“We were very excited to explore the opportunities citizen science provides to the field of wildlife research, especially for two common backyard birds. Citizen science platforms like iNaturalist offer an incredible glimpse into the lives and behaviors of wildlife that may otherwise be understudied.”

— Will Gibson, First-year Master's student

“This is filling in an important gap in what we understand about these very common backyard birds. There's a lot of information out there from citizen scientists that had not really been analyzed in this way, and we were able to use that to learn what these hawks are actually choosing to eat.”

— Darin McNeil, Assistant professor of wildlife management

“If you see one of these hawks in your yard, you can be pretty confident it is scoping out the bird feeder and looking for a meal.”

— Darin McNeil, Assistant professor of wildlife management

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue analyzing citizen science data to further understand the behaviors and ecological roles of common backyard hawk species.

The takeaway

This study demonstrates the immense value of citizen science in advancing wildlife research, especially for common but understudied species that are frequently observed by the public. The findings provide important insights for birdwatchers, homeowners, and conservation efforts focused on maintaining healthy raptor populations in urban and suburban areas.