Cooper's Hawk - Photos by Bruce Dayton - Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

ORDER: Falconiformes
FAMILY: Accipitridae (Hawks and Eagles - 25 Species)
SPECIES: Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

Cooper's Hawk
The Cooper's Hawk was named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte after the naturalist William Cooper, one of the founders of the New York Academy of Sciences. They were commonly called the "Chicken Hawk" by many of the poultry farmers.
SIZE	The Cooper's Hawk is a medium sized (14-20”) hawk.
DESCRIPTION	They have a dark cap, blue-gray upperparts and white underparts with red bars. They have red eyes and yellow legs. They have short broad wings and a long round-ended tail with dark bands. Their long tails act as rudders that allow them to be the maneuverability to pursue birds in wooded areas. Sexes similar in plumage, but female is larger.
NESTING	Clutch size ranges from 2-5 eggs, which are incubated in 32 to 36 days. They builds a platform of twigs and small branches, lined with bark, usually high in a tree.
RANGE	They are permanent residents in most of the United States. Northern birds migrate to the southern U.S. and Mexico.
HABITAT	It habitat mature deciduous forests, broken by meadows and open fields. The open areas allow them to pursue their prey.
DIET	Cooper's hawks feed mostly on medium-sized birds, such as Starlings and Blackbirds. They chase the birds relentlessly through the woods until they catch them. They will also eat small mammals and reptiles.

INTERESTING FACTS

Bird of Prey

A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts for food primarily using its talons. A bird of prey is a carnivore (meat eater) that kills and eats mammals, reptiles, insects, amphibians, fish, mollusks and other birds.

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The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2007 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit.




Cooper's Hawk

Cortland Township Cortland County, New York


CpHk_088T_007344	CpHk_088T_007345

Sapsucker Woods Bird Sanctuary Tompkins County, New York


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Sharp-shinned Hawk Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes