Cooper’s Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Hawk family (Accipitridae)
A small hawk, about the size of a crow. Short rounded wings and long narrow tail. Bluish-gray back, light below with reddish-brown barring.
Nesting:
Nests in extensive forests. Nest is a platform of sticks, placed in a tree 10 to 70 feet above the ground. Eggs are pale blue-green with dark marks. Clutch size – 3 to 4 eggs.
Voice:
Vocal during breeding season. Loud repeated “kek kek kek kek” given during alarm or during pair interaction.
Name Origin:
The genus name Accipiter is from the Latin for “hawk.” The species cooperii was named in 1828 after ornithologist William C. Cooper.
In the Nature Park:
Year-round resident.
Photos:
Cooper's Hawk
