Cooper's hawk

The Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Read in Spanish

Appearance: Cooper's Hawks are medium-sized raptors with long tails, short rounded wings, and a slim build. Adults have blue-gray upperparts and reddish-brown barred underparts. Juveniles are brown above with brown streaking below. They have distinctive red eyes and a dark cap on their heads.

Habitat: Cooper's Hawks are typically found in a variety of forested habitats, including mixed woodlands, forests, and wooded areas near water sources. They are also known to inhabit suburban and urban areas with suitable prey populations, such as songbirds and small mammals.

Behavior: Cooper's Hawks are agile hunters known for their high-speed pursuits of prey, often chasing birds through dense vegetation or across open areas. They feed primarily on birds, including medium-sized songbirds, and occasionally small mammals. They are secretive birds and are often seen perched in dense foliage or soaring above the canopy.

Breeding: Breeding pairs of Cooper's Hawks construct nests in trees using sticks and twigs lined with softer materials like bark and leaves. They typically lay 2-5 eggs per clutch, with an average of 3-4 eggs. Incubation lasts around 30-35 days, with both parents sharing nesting duties. The young fledge after 4-5 weeks and remain dependent on their parents for some time.

Conservation Status: The Cooper's hawk is currently categorized as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).