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The Cooper’s Hawk is a highly skilled flier. They are common woodland hawks that rip through dense tree canopies with the precision of an F-16 fighter pilot in pursuit of prey.

Identification: The Cooper’s Hawk is a medium size hawk with broad rounded wings and a very long tail. Adults are a blue-gray above with rich copper-red bars on the breast, and dark bands on the tail. Juveniles are brown above and streaked brown on the upper breast.

Behavior: Cooper’s fly in a glide pattern. Even when crossing large open areas they do not continuously flap their wings. A common attack maneuver is to fly fast and low to the ground, up and over an object to surprise prey on the other side.

Habitat: Look for Cooper’s in wooded habitats from deep forests to backyards.

Diet: The Cooper’s Hawk diet consists of birds such as American Robins, Bluejays, and Starlings. They will also eat small mammals such as chipmunks, rabbits, and mice.

Nesting: Most Cooper’s Hawks will mate for life. They will breed once a year and raise one brood per breeding season. Over a period of about 2 weeks the pair build a stick nest in a large tree. The nest is around 27 inches in diameter, and 6-17 inches high. There is a cup shaped depression in the center of the nest that is 8 inches across and 4 inches deep. The clutch size is usually 3-5 eggs. The female incubates the eggs for about 30-36 days. The young fledge in 25-34 days. The young continue to come back to the nest to be fed until they become totally independent which takes about 8 weeks.

Backyard Tips: If you enjoy the songbirds that visit your feeders the Cooper’s Hawk is not one that you will want to do anything to encourage them to stay in your yard. Occasionally I will see a Cooper’s in my yard. Usually it will be perched on a branch across from one of my feeders looking for a meal. I’ve never seen one take a bird in my yard, but it does happen. A walk in the woods is the best way to enjoy a look at this beautiful hawk.