Cooper's Hawk (Chicken Hawk)

This is a classic tail feather from a Cooper's Hawk, a medium-sized forest raptor known for its incredible agility. The bird is roughly the size of a crow, with short, rounded wings and a very long, banded tail that acts as a rudder. Adults have blue-gray backs and rufous-barred underparts.

Strongly banded with alternating wide bars of charcoal/dark gray and crisp white to light silver-gray. There is a thin white terminal band at the very tip (typical of Accipiters). The underside is more muted but retains the barred pattern.

Densely interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout the majority of the vane; plumulaceous (downy) barbs present only at the very base near the calamus.

Smooth, firm, and slightly glossy on the dorsal surface. The vane is stiff to provide aerodynamic resistance during rapid maneuvering through woodland habitats.

Bold horizontal dark and light banding; thin white terminal tip; stiff rachis; size significantly larger than a Sharp-shinned Hawk but smaller than a Goshawk.

Found in mixed forests, wooded riparian areas, and increasingly in leafy suburban neighborhoods where bird feeders attract their prey.

Common year-round resident across most of the United States and southern Canada; northern populations migrate to the southern US and Central America during winter.

Top-tier avian predator; plays a vital role in regulating populations of medium-sized birds (doves, starlings, jays) and small mammals.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (smaller, sharper tip, square tail); Northern Goshawk (much larger, more irregular mottling/patterning).

Cooper's Hawks are 'stealth' hunters; they fly low and fast through dense vegetation to surprise other birds. Their long tails allow them to make hair-pin turns at high speeds mid-air.

Excellent condition; the barbs are fully intact with no significant wear or fraying, likely a freshly molted feather. No visible fault bars or parasite damage.