Cooper's Hawk

Astur cooperii

Threads suburban backyards at 30 mph to ambush doves at your feeder. The original drive-thru.

Habitat: Deciduous and mixed forests, open woodlands, riparian corridors, and increasingly urban/suburban areas with mature trees
Fun fact: In 2024, a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study of the Accipitridae showed that Accipiter was not a natural (monophyletic) grouping, leading to the Cooper's Hawk (and the former Northern Goshawk, now American Goshawk) being moved into the resurrected genus Astur; Cornell's Birds of the World has already adopted Astur cooperii as the current name.
Range: Southern Canada through the continental United States to northern Mexico, wintering south to Central America (as far as Costa Rica)
Diet: Primarily small-to-medium-sized birds (e.g., starlings, blackbirds, quail, doves), supplemented by small mammals (chipmunks, squirrels) and occasionally reptiles/amphibians
Size: 0.42 m
Wingspan: 0.84 m
Lifespan: 12 years

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