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Aves (Birds) » Falconiformes (Falcons) » Accipitridae (Eagles, Kites & Hawks) » Accipiter » Accipiter cooperii (Cooper's Hawks)

Cooper's Hawk, Immature

Cooper's Hawk, Immature

Location: Earth » North America » United States » Delaware » New Castle County

Date: November 24, 2007

Initially, I thought that it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk, however, facts and additional information has changed my opinion in favor of immature Cooper's Hawk.

Posted by Ted Kropiewnicki on December 17, 2007 21:01. Last updated: January 06, 2008 13:44.

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Comments

Sharp-shinned
I get both Coopers and Sharp-shinned. Mostly Coopers hunting my feeders. Sharp-shinned are small, not much bigger than a blue jay if that helps. Coopers are bigger and its noticable.

Sharp-shinned have squared tails and Coopers are rounded. Once you see these two birds, you can really tell what I mean by square vs rounded tail.

From the picture its hard for me to say for sure 100%, but I am leaning towards Sharp-shinned. I would also say juvenial by coloring. Adults have rust color on breast.


Thanks MN
I posted 2 additional images of the same hawk Photo 415 and Photo 416. I hope this helps in getting positive ID. As far as size goes, this hawk was somewhere between a Blue Jay and a Crow.


Ok, I'll Bite
I'm goin' with Cooper's Hawk.


Glad you did
David, I am beginning to think that being immature it would be too large to be a Sharp-shinned. Of course, I am very interested in your observations that led to your call - Cooper's Hawk. Thanks, Ted


Cooper's Hawk
Yes, in the field I use size as a good beginning, there is no overlap between the species. That's more difficult with a photograph but it still seems to come through in your images. I find that if there is a question of which species, it's usually a (male, smaller) Cooper's Hawk because if it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk it would be obvious. Is that at all clear? Cooper's Hawk = question, Sharp-shinned Hawk = obvious. Its a matter of experience.

On to your images. First, the overall Gestalt is Cooper's Hawk. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a tight, very together, falcon-like bird; no feathers out of place. Your first image shows tail & tail feathers all over the place: very Cooper's Hawk. And then size comes into the overall Gestalt.

More specifically, the most convincing plumage clue is the well-defined underside streaking of the Cooper's Hawk that ends further up the body (sometimes) rather than the more diffuse underside streaking of the Sharp-shinned Hawk that gos lower on the body.

The head is really blocky, not round. It seems in one image shorter outer tail feathers can be distinguished folded under the other tail feathers. Maybe not.

There's more tiny things not worth mentioning. Much of these chracteristics are variable & overlap or don't show well in the photographs but edge me toward Cooper's Hawk.


Cooper's Hawk
David, I am convinced. Actually, I marked off the exact spots on the small maple where his head and tail were and this bird was between 14.5 and 15 inches. Your description of the overall Gestalt and specific plumage streaking leaves no doubt. Thank you very much for sharing your field experience. Ted


Changed Taxon
Media was moved from ID Request.


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