Cooper's Hawk

Medium-sized hawk with a characteristic long, rounded tail and short, rounded wings built for high-speed maneuvering through dense tree cover. Adults feature a dark slate-gray crown, red-barred underparts, and striking red eyes.

Bluish-gray dorsal surface with four to five dark brown or blackish horizontal bands (bars) and a distinct white tip

Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs on the upper portion with strong hooklets, becoming slightly softer toward the base

Central rachis is robust, dark grey-brown on top and lighter underneath, slightly curved with high barb density forming a smooth, firm vane

Smooth, firm, and matte texture with rigid vane structure designed for aerodynamic steering during agile forest flights

Tail (retrix), likely one of the central or intermediate tail feathers based on the prominent symmetrical banding pattern

Distinctive alternating dark and light gray-blue bars with a clean white terminal band at the rounded tip of the tail feather

Deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forests, as well as open woodlands, wooded suburbs, and urban parks

Widely distributed throughout North America, ranging from southern Canada down through the United States and into Mexico

Apex avian predator that helps regulate populations of medium-sized birds and small mammals in forest and suburban ecosystems

Sharp-shinned Hawk (smaller with a squared tail tip) and Northern Goshawk (larger, paler grey with heavier barring)

Cooper's Hawks are exceptional aerial acrobats, capable of high-speed pursuits through thick forests while navigating branches by folding their wings

Historically valued in falconry for hunting small mammals and birds; feathers and parts protected under modern wildlife legislation

Look for molted raptor feathers beneath tall trees or backyard bird feeding stations where ambush predators hunt

Good overall condition with intact barbs, clean edges, and no visible major fraying or structural damage