Cooper's Hawk

This feather belongs to the Cooper's Hawk, a medium-sized forest hawk known for its long tail and rounded wings. Adult Cooper's Hawks have blue-gray backs and rufous-barred underparts, while juveniles are brown with vertical streaks. They are 'sprinters' of the bird world, using their maneuverable wings to chase prey through dense vegetation.

Charcoal to cool gray-brown base color on the dorsal side with 5-6 distinct, dark horizontal bands (bars). The underside is paler (silvery-gray) with muted banding. The tips of the barbs are dark, and the base area fades to a creamy white.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout most of the vane for aerodynamic integrity. The base of the feather shows some plumulaceous (downy) barbs near the calamus for insulation.

Smooth and stiff to the touch. The surface has a slight matte sheen. The leading edge (outer vane) is much narrower and stiffer than the trailing edge to resist air pressure during flight.

Distinctive dark gray banding, strong asymmetry, and a characteristic notch on the outer vane. The size and thickness of the rachis distinguish it from smaller species like the Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Mixed woodlands, deciduous forests, and increasingly common in suburban backyard environments where they hunt smaller birds near feeders.

Year-round resident across much of the United States and southern Canada, with northern populations migrating to the southern U.S. and Central America for winter.

Top-tier avian predator. They play a vital role in controlling populations of medium-sized birds (like starlings and doves) and small mammals.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (smaller, narrower bands) and Northern Goshawk (larger, more wavy or mottled banding). The Red-shouldered Hawk has similar banding but usually with more contrast and white spotting.

Cooper's Hawks are master aviators; they often hunt by flying low and fast through dense cover to surprise other birds. A study once found that over 20% of Cooper's Hawks had healed fractures in their chest bones, likely from collisions with trees during high-speed chases.

Good condition. The barbs are mostly intact with minimal fraying, suggesting it was recently molted. Some slight separation of barbs (zipping) is visible near the tip but can be smoothed.