# Cooper's Hawk (*Astur cooperii*) Cooper's Hawks are clever birds of prey that love to hunt for small animals. They have beautiful feathers and can fly really fast through trees to catch their dinner. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 202 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Cooper Hawk ![Cooper's Hawk](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424427/objects/340.jpg) ## Appearance The Cooper's Hawk has short, rounded wings and a long tail, giving it an agile shape. Adults display a blue-gray back, dark cap, and rusty barred underparts, while juveniles are brown-backed with streaky breasts. Its relatively large head helps distinguish it from similar accipiters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Accipiter ## Interesting facts - Cooper's Hawks are super agile and can even catch birds mid-flight in dense woods! - Female Cooper's Hawks are much bigger than the males, sometimes by half their weight! - Their eyes change from bright yellow in youth to fiery red as they get older! - They build their nests in the crotch of a tree, often reusing nests from previous years. ## Special abilities - **Stealth Navigator:** Cooper's Hawk can weave through dense forests because its short, rounded wings and long tail help it maneuver swiftly. - **Surprise Hunter:** Cooper's Hawk has excellent vision and explosive speed that help it ambush unsuspecting birds from hidden perches. - **Feathered Flipper:** Cooper's Hawk can quickly flip upside down in flight to grab prey that attempts to escape upwards. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 35-50 cm - **Wingspan:** 60-90 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-0.7 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-12 years - **Speed:** 65 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 30-36 days ## Diet & Feeding These fierce hunters mostly eat small to medium-sized birds, with some small mammals too. - **Primary Foods:** American Robin, European Starling, Mourning Dove, Chipmunks, Squirrels - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — often targets backyard birds. - **Hunts:** [European Starling](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-starling) (*Sturnus vulgaris*) — reduces invasive bird populations. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — a top nocturnal predator. - **Hunts:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — preys on tree-dwelling mammals. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cooper's Hawk? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Cooper's Hawk? 35-50 cm ### What is Cooper's Hawk's wingspan? 60-90 cm ### How much does Cooper's Hawk weigh? 0.2-0.7 kg ### How long does Cooper's Hawk live? 8-12 years ### How fast can Cooper's Hawk move? 65 km/h ### What does Cooper's Hawk eat? These fierce hunters mostly eat small to medium-sized birds, with some small mammals too. ### Where is Cooper's Hawk usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Bloomingdale](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloomingdale) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Canal Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canal-park) — District of Columbia, US · Park - [Chatham Arch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chatham-arch) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cooper-s-hawk) ## Watch - [Play video: Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/videos/cooper-s-hawk) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=hQbNx6qypjk) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Cooper's Hawk: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk)