Cooper's Hawk

A medium-sized hawk with a long, banded tail and rounded wings. Adults have a blue-gray back and rufous-barred underparts. Known for their incredible agility in flight, they are specialized 'bird-hawks'.

Classic accipiter banding: dark chocolate brown or charcoal-grey bars alternating with lighter greyish-white or cream-colored blocks. The underside is noticeably paler (silvery-grey) than the dorsal side. The white patches on the inner vane are crisp, suggesting an adult bird.

Pennaceous; the barbs are tightly interlocked with developed hamuli (hooklets) to create a stiff, wind-resistant surface for flight. The base shows a small amount of plumulaceous (downy) barbs near the calamus.

Smooth and firm. The dorsal surface has a slight matte sheen, while the trailing edge is flexible. It lacks the 'velvety' silent-flight adaptation found in owls, indicating a high-speed, 'flap-and-glide' hunter.

Sharp, high-contrast dark and light banding; extreme asymmetry of the vane; stiff, resilient rachis; and a tapered tip suited for maneuvering through dense foliage.

Woodlands, forest edges, and increasingly common in leafy suburban backyards where bird feeders are present.

Year-round resident across much of the United States and Mexico; northern populations (Canada and Northern US) migrate south for the winter.

Apex predator of small-to-medium birds and mammals; helps regulate populations of starlings, doves, and rodents.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (smaller, feathers usually <15cm); Northern Goshawk (larger, markings are more finely vermiculated or 'wavy' rather than cleanly blocked).

Cooper's Hawks were once called 'Chicken Hawks.' They are master acrobats, often flying at high speeds through dense branches to hunt smaller birds, a behavior that frequently results in healed bone fractures.

Fair to Good. There is significant 'zipper' separation (breaking of the barbule hooks) along the trailing edge, likely due to contact with vegetation or post-shed handling. No obvious fault bars.