Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

A medium sized hawk of the forests. Although it generally hunts wild birds and small mammals, the Cooper's Hawk also has the somewhat unfair moniker of "Chicken Hawk" for its supposed preference for farm poultry.  A mature Cooper's Hawk has reddish barring on its breast and belly with dark gray or black cap on its head. (see photo to the right).  An immature bird has a buffy-orange head with thin dark streaks on breast and upper belly.

Habitat: Prefers conifers or mixed forest when nesting.  Can be found in any forest type in winter.  Generally avoids open areas without trees nearby.

Diet: Mostly birds and small mammals, occasionally reptiles, fish, and insects. 

Behavior: Hunts from a perch, waiting for prey to come within range, and then moving swiftly to catch it.  Very acrobatic and maneuverable in the chase. 

Nesting: April and May

Breeding Map: Breeding bird survey map

Song: Cooper's Hawk call

Migration: Birds in northern part of range (northern U.S. and southern Canada) migrate south in the fall. Generally found in all seasons in other parts of its range.

Similar Species: Sharp-shinned Hawk.  Juvenile Northern Goshawk also could be mistaken for a Cooper's Hawk

Status: After a severe drop in numbers by 1970, numbers have been increasing.  They have even become more common as breeders in city parks and other urban settings with large trees.

Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Cooper's Hawk

2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Cooper's Hawk"

3) eNature.com -- Cooper's Hawk

Photo Information: May 9th, 2004 -- Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls -- Terry Sohl

Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Cooper's Hawk photos.