Cooper's Hawk

This feather belongs to the Cooper's Hawk, a medium-sized raptor known for its incredible agility. Adults have blue-gray backs and rufous-barred underparts, while this barred tail feather is a classic signature of the species' 'rudder.'

Features 3-4 distinct, broad, dark grayish-brown horizontal bands (bars) set against a lighter gray-white background. The tip often shows a thin white terminal band, although it may be worn down.

Pennaceous and tightly interlocked throughout the main vane; the base shows soft, plumulaceous (downy) barbs for insulation.

Smooth and firm texture on the vane surface; the leading edge is slightly more rigid than the trailing edge to resist air pressure.

Distinctive wide dark banding with relatively equal spacing; rounded tip; larger than a Sharp-shinned Hawk feather but smaller than a Goshawk feather.

Mixed woodlands, deciduous forests, and increasingly common in suburban areas with mature trees and bird feeders.

Year-round resident throughout much of the United States and Mexico; northern populations migrate from Southern Canada to the Southern US in winter.

Apex predator of small-to-medium birds and mammals; serves as a vital regulator of songbird and rodent populations.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (smaller, usually squared tail) and Northern Goshawk (larger, more irregular wavy banding).

Cooper's Hawks are 'stealth hunters' of the avian world, often weaving through dense branches at high speeds to surprise smaller birds.

Good condition; minimal wear at the tip suggests it was likely a recently molted feather rather than one lost during a struggle.