Cooper's Hawk (also known as Big Blue Darter, Chicken Hawk)

The Cooper's Hawk is a medium-sized forest-dwelling hawk with short, rounded wings and a long, rounded tail adapted for agile maneuverability through dense trees. Adults feature steel-blue-gray upperparts, reddish-barred underparts, and dark bands on the tail. Females are noticeably larger than males. They are formidable aerial hunters specializing in catching medium-sized birds.

Rich slate-gray to dark brown upper surface with distinct, evenly spaced white and pale gray alternating bars or chevron patterns. The base is fluffy and grayish-white. The rachis is pale yellowish-white at the base darkening to match the vane.

Pennaceous at the distal tip with tightly interlocked barbicels, transitioning to a plumulaceous (fluffy/downy) structure near the base of the rachis. Intact condition with no major fraying.

Central rachis is moderately thick, rigid yet flexible, tapering toward the tip with a rounded ventral side and flattened dorsal groove. Barbs are densely arranged at a consistent angle along the distal two-thirds.

Smooth and matte on the upper pennaceous surface, soft and downy at the basal plumulaceous portion. Provides a sleek, weather-resistant outer layer while retaining insulating properties underneath.

Back, mantle, or scapular region. Determined by the rounded shape, structural transition from pennaceous to plumulaceous, and the characteristic barred gray-brown pattern typical of dorsal covert feathers.

Distinctive slate-gray background with crisp, alternating white and pale brownish-gray horizontal barring or teardrop spotting. Rounded tip and semi-downy base.

Deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forests, as well as open woodlands, river groves, wooded suburbs, and urban parks where medium-sized birds and small mammals are abundant.

Resident throughout southern Canada, the United States, and down into Mexico. Populations in the northern parts of the range migrate south for the winter.

Apex avian predator in woodland ecosystems, helping to regulate populations of medium-sized songbirds, doves, and small mammals, serving as an indicator of forest health.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) and Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). Sharp-shinned feathers are generally smaller with different facial/barring proportions, while Goshawk feathers are considerably larger.

Cooper's Hawks are acrobatic flyers capable of high-speed pursuits through thick forest canopies. They frequently engage in 'wing-stalling' and twisting maneuvers to capture prey mid-air.

Historically viewed by farmers as 'chicken hawks' and heavily persecuted, though they are now protected. Their feathers are sometimes studied by falconers and naturalists.

Look for molted raptor feathers in wooded areas near mature trees, old squirrel nests, or known raptor perches during late summer and early autumn molt periods.

Good condition with minor wear at the extreme base, intact barbs, and no visible fault bars or parasitic damage. Appears to be a freshly molted natural drop.