Cooper's Hawk

Cooper’s hawk Identification Tips: · Length: 15.5 inches · Wingspan: 28 inches · Beak: short,dark,hooked beak · Long, thick tarsi appear short at rest because they are usually covered by belly feathers · Wings: short, rounded wings · Tail: very long and rounded at the tip · Often flies with several quick wingbeat and a short glide, but also soars Adult: · Red eye · Black cap · Blue-gray back and upperwings · White breast, belly and underwing coverts marked by fine, thin, reddish bars · …

…Hawk that would attack free chickens. Being quick, the Cooper’s Hawk would attack, grab a chicken, and then disappear before being seen. Upset farmers would see the Red-tailed Hawk soaring in the distance. They would blame it for the missing poultry and attempt to shoot it. When in fact, the Red-tail was probably looking for rodents, and by killing rodents the Red-tail was actually helping the farmers. Federal law now that protects all raptors.