Astur cooperii
Woods and backyard feeders across most of the Lower 48 and southern Canada. Hunts birds. Raptor track smaller than a red-tail, long middle toe.
What does a cooper’s hawk look like?
A long-tailed, short-winged hawk. Adults are gray and rusty. Immatures are brown and streaked.
What do cooper’s hawk tracks look like?
Rarely a clear trail. A sudden pile of dove or sparrow feathers in a yard is the usual sign.
- Raptor track smaller than a red-tail, long middle toe
- Often a pile of feathers in a yard, not a clear track
- Long tail with dark bands
- Adults are gray above and barred rusty below
- Rounded tail tip
What does cooper’s hawk poop look like?
Whitewash on a fence or branch used as a plucking perch. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Woods and backyard feeders across most of the Lower 48 and southern Canada. Hunts birds. Typical places: yard, woods. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Red-tailed hawk identification
- American kestrel identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
Why are there feathers under my feeder?
A Cooper’s hawk often takes a dove or a sparrow at a feeder and leaves a pile of feathers.
How to tell a cooper’s hawk from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Red-tailed hawk. A heavy raptor print at a kill or under a perch. Broad-winged hawk.
- American kestrel. Too small and too rarely on soft ground to rely on. A robin-sized falcon.
Cooper’s hawk field marks
- Raptor track smaller than a red-tail, long middle toe
- Often a pile of feathers in a yard, not a clear track
- Long tail with dark bands
- Adults are gray above and barred rusty below
Where the sign shows up
Woods and backyard feeders across most of the Lower 48 and southern Canada. Hunts birds. Typical places: yard, woods. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
Rarely a clear trail. A sudden pile of dove or sparrow feathers in a yard is the usual sign. Whitewash on a fence or branch used as a plucking perch.
Common questions
Why are there feathers under my feeder?
A Cooper’s hawk often takes a dove or a sparrow at a feeder and leaves a pile of feathers.