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Coopers Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

Photo by MaryEvans2
Published on Project Noah
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30.4381, -84.2809

Field Notes

Description:

I believe this is a Coopers Hawk, but it maybe a sharp shinned...I have a hard time telling the two apart.
large hawk, striped narrow tail, large yellow eyes, white and brown head

Habitat:

Woods, forests, and inner cities

Notes:

I enjoyed watching this large hawk take his afternoon bath.

Species ID Suggestions

Cooper's Hawk (immature)

Accipiter cooperii

Reference Link
Liam
4

Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis
nala10
1

Comments (13)
EmilyMarino
Well, would ya look at that! Coops are such serious birds, you almost never see them let'n loose like this! Fantastic spotting and pictures! FYI - your 6th and final picture isn't showing up!
MaryEvans2
Thanks all, I thought it to be a Coopers :) I have a video of him taking this bath, which I hope to get added to YouTube and linked to this sometime this weekend. This holding pond tends to be the bathing hole for many bird species. I have photos of Cedar Waxwings, American Robins, House Finches, and Northern Mockingbirds are bathing at this same spot..
CoastalJHawk
This is a very cool series. I think Cooper's also from what I see in the Sibley Guide. It's on this weekend! I want to see something like this.
Liam
This site is very helpful when IDing Coops and Sharpies: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/accipiterIDtable.htm
East End aka Lorelei
Great series! I agree with Liam that it's a Cooper's Hawk - I have a Sharp-shinned that hangs around my house. The Cooper's usually have a rounded tail while Sharp-shinned are squared.
HemaShah
look at the banded tail in picture 4. That usually is either coopers or sharp shinned http://birding.about.com/od/identifyingbirds/a/coopersorsharpshinned.htm Here is how you would differentiate between the two. Liam is correct.
Liam
A Goshawk in Florida would be nearing impossible. Okay, well maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but a Goshawk in Florida is very improbable. This is either a Cooper's or Sharp-shinned Hawk, and the large size, stern expression, and overall proportions suggest Cooper's.
nala10
I think it might bve a goshawk it is found in the book Wildlife Fact File! it would not let me put it in refference though.
KarenL
What a wonderful series! I especially love the third photo!

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the Southeast U.S.
Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
Florida's Flora & Fauna
Mission
2012 Best Wildlife Photo
Mission
Raptors of North America

Tags

Photographed
PublishedFebruary 29, 2012

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