Cooper's Hawk Identification Guide

Key Field Marks

• Size & shape: A medium-sized accipiter, roughly crow-sized (35–46 cm), with females noticeably larger than males; broad shoulders, a fairly large head that projects prominently in front of the wings in flight, and a long, rounded tail.
• Adult plumage: Blue-gray upperparts, warm rufous barring on the underparts, red eyes, and a dark cap that contrasts with a paler nape.
• Juvenile plumage: Brown upperparts with fine streaking (not barring) on the underparts, and yellow eyes that darken with age.
• Tail: Long, with several dark bands and a distinct white terminal band; the tip appears rounded rather than square or notched.
• Flight style: Characteristic flap-flap-glide pattern; soars on flat wings held slightly forward at the wrist.
• Behavior: An ambush hunter of birds, often seen dashing low through vegetation or making sudden strikes at backyard feeders.

Separating It From Similar Species

• Sharp-shinned Hawk: Smaller and daintier overall, with a smaller head that barely projects past the wrists, thinner legs, and a squared or notched tail tip rather than rounded.
• Northern Goshawk: Much larger and bulkier with a heavier build, a bold pale supercilium (eyebrow), and finer, denser gray barring on the underparts as an adult.
• Red-shouldered/Red-tailed Hawk (buteos): Broader wings, shorter tails, and a soaring flight style with wings held in a shallow V or flat plane, quite different from the accipiter's flap-flap-glide.

Where & When to See It

• Habitat: Woodlands, forest edges, riparian corridors, and increasingly suburban and urban areas with mature trees, especially around bird feeders.
• Range: Breeds throughout most of the United States, southern Canada, and Mexico.
• Season: Northern populations migrate south in winter, while southern populations are largely resident year-round.

Voice

• A sharp, repeated "cak-cak-cak-cak" alarm call, usually given near the nest or when agitated; otherwise generally quiet away from breeding areas.