Saturday, 15 October 2022

Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)


OTHER NAMES: Chickenhawk, Big Blue Darter, Hen Hawk, Flying Cross, Quail Hawk

Latin Etymology: Accipiter ("to grasp") cooperii (named for William Cooper)

 Juvenile Cooper's Hawk (Astur cooperii)  at San Jose, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 215-700g  /  Length: 36-51cm  /  Wingspan: 71cm
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A highly sex dimorphic species of hawk where the difference is so pronounced that there is only a comparatively minor overlap of proportions and weights between male and female birds, with the female being the larger. They feed almost exclusively on vertebrate prey, and unlike Sharp-shinned are much more likely to take terrestrial mammals. They are somewhat infamous as a species which can cause identification problems in the field if clear views aren't had compared to the smaller sharp-shinned.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Astur
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found throughout much of the Lower 48; Breeding only in Northmost states, Wintering only in Far South
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Jose

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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