ID with no photo

I just saw a bird that I can't identify. Maybe someone can help with this loose description.

About 1-1/2 times larger than a fat robin. Rust color, brown speckled. Longish tail feathers. Small head. Small pointed beak. It was perched on the bottom rail of a backyard fence, near the ground. I was walking toward the back door to go outside when I stopped in my tracks - it struck me by it's size and shape. Full breast, long tail, smallish head and coloring. I have not seen whatever this is before. I thought maybe some sort of hawk because of the size and coloring but the tail and beak don't seem right.

Woodcock maybe?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Woodcock

What a cool bird! That's one I haven't seen either.

My bird has a very small beak. I think it's probably a Sharp Shinned hawk. The photos I see don't match well with the coloring (rusty color breast) but everything else lines up, so perhaps it's a juvenile.

Could be a Cooper's hawk, but not as likely. I think the small head and size of the bird overall makes it a Sharp Shinned hawk.

http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Raptors/SSHA6.jpg



Thanks for taking the time to research my question! :)

This message was edited Jul 10, 2009 8:26 AM

Here are some Sharp shinned pics. Scroll down and you will see one that has a brown belly. http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/raptors/Sharpshinned.html

Thanks Juney. I think that is it. The shot of the bird flying off the shovel handle is really something to see!