Cooper's Hawk

This feather belongs to a medium-sized raptor known for its agility. Cooper's Hawks have long tails and rounded wings. Adults have blue-grey backs and reddish-barred underparts, while juveniles are brown with vertical streaks.

Distinctive bold banding with dark brown to charcoal-grey bars alternating with lighter greyish-white bars. The tip is dark, and the underside is noticeably paler with muted versions of the same bands.

Mostly pennaceous and tightly interlocked for flight efficiency, with a small plumulaceous (downy) section at the base of the feather near the calamus.

Smooth, stiff, and somewhat matte. The surface is designed for silent but powerful flight through wooded environments.

Even, thick dark banding; rounded tip; size ratio characteristic of the genus Accipiter; pale bases to the dark bands.

Found in various wooded habitats, including deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forests, as well as leafy suburbs, parks, and backyard gardens.

Common across North America, ranging from Southern Canada through the United States to Central Mexico. Northern populations are migratory.

Apex avian predator in many environments; helps regulate populations of smaller birds and mammals.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (smaller feathers, thinner bands) and Red-shouldered Hawk (bolder, higher-contrast white and black banding).

Cooper's Hawks are 'true hawks' or bird-hawks, specializing in hunting other birds in flight. They are famous for their high-speed maneuvers through dense tree canopies.

Good condition; minor fraying at the tip and along the edges suggests it was a naturally molted feather rather than one lost to predation.