Accipiter cooperii
If a songbird were to dream, the Cooper's Hawk would be the subject of its nightmares. This forest hawk hunts silently, using surprise and speed. Bursting from an overhead perch, a Cooper's Hawk will pursue a songbird, using long legs with sharp talons to grab its quarry in mid-air. Now that the persecution of Cooper's Hawks has been almost eliminated, these forest hawks are recolonizing former habitats. In the northern and western areas of the Rockies, these birds are being observed with increasing frequency. This forest hawk bears the name of William Cooper, one of the many hunters who supplied English and American ornithologists with bird specimens for museum collections during the early 19th century. |
I.D.: Sexes similar. Adult: medium-sized; short, round wings; long tail; squarish head; blue-gray back; red, horizontal barring on the underparts; red eyes; white, terminal tail band. Immature: brown overall; brown eyes; vertical brown streaks on, the breast and belly. In flight: flap-and-glide flyer; heavily barred, rounded tail, with a broad, light band at the tip. Size: Male: L 15-17 in. (38-43 cm); W 27-32 in. (69-81 cm). Female: L 17-19 in. (43-48 cm); W 32-37 in. (81-94 cm). Range: rare to uncommon year-round resident and common migrant throughout the Rockies. Habitat: mixed coniferous-deciduous woodlands, riparian woodlands and suburban areas. In migration: usually seen soaring on thermals in open areas. Nesting: in the crotch of a coniferous or deciduous tree, often among the outer branches; nest is made of sticks and twigs; may reuse an abandoned crow's nest; female incubates 4-5 bluish eggs for 30-36 days; does not tolerate Sharp-shinned Hawks nesting in the area. Feeding: pursues prey-mostly thrushes, sparrows, squirrels, woodpeckers, chipmunks and starlings-in flights through forests; often takes prey to a plucking post prior to eating. Voice: fast, woodpecker-like cac-cac-cac-cac. Similar Species: Sharp-shinned Hawk: usually smaller; tail is not rounded. |
