Cooper's Hawk is a powerful, agile woodland hawk that specializes in catching birds, threading through dense forest at high speed to surprise prey at feeders and in shrubby cover. It has adapted remarkably well to suburban environments, now nesting in many American cities. Females are substantially larger than males, a reversal typical of raptors that hunt agile prey.
Best time to see a Cooper's Hawk
The best time to see a Cooper's Hawk is July–January, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 119,710 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Cooper's Hawk? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Often confused with
Recent Cooper's Hawk sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a Cooper's Hawk? Identify it instantly.
Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.
Get HuckGet an alert when a Cooper's Hawk is spotted
Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.
Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.
Love birds? Get Huck field notes
Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.