Species guide
Cooper's Hawk: how to recognise it
A bird of North America. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Abby Sesselberg · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Astur cooperii
- Family
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Size
- About 36–46 cm
- Habitat
- Woodland, suburbs and parks
- Found in
- North America
The key marks
A medium hawk with a blue-grey back, a rusty barred chest, a dark cap and a long rounded tail with a white tip.
Voice
A fast, repeated “kak-kak-kak” near the nest.
Good to know
A fast, agile hunter of birds that darts through branches and often visits backyard feeders.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in woodland, suburbs and parks. It is especially common in Arizona. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.