Common name: COOPER'S HAWK
Scientific name: Accipiter cooperii
Identifying characteristics:
In the male, the crown is black, with the nape feathers showing white bases; the rest of the upperparts are leaden gray, with the tail showing three black bands and a white tip. The white underside is heavily and irregularly marked with brownish-rufous. The female is similarly marked but is browner.
Range:
The species' range extends from southern California down throughout the entire United States as far south as Florida and Texas. A few individuals migrate as far south as Costa Rica.
Habitat:
The bird is always closely associated with woodlands, and usually breaks cover only when hunting.
Nesting:
The nest is usually placed at least 30 feet high in a conifer and built almost exclusively by the male. It is built of twigs and lined with bark before the 4 or 5 eggs are laid.
Feeding habits:
Cooper's Hawks takes a wide variety of prey including lizards, amphibians, and large insects, but its main diet is birds. Mammals as large as squirrels can be taken, and the female can deal with prey up to the size of a Ruffed Grouse.
Conservation status:
Maintaining reasonable numbers, though a slow decline has been noted due to loss of habitat.
