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Birding/Hawk identification help

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Expert: Julia Booth - 11/12/2010


Question

No breakfast buffet fo
Hi Julia,
I have had a visitor the last two mornings and cannot ID the species. We have
several types of hawks in the area but need help with this one. It is sitting on
top of a small chicken pen, hoping for breakfast! The bird is large, and the tail
is long with broad striping. I was able to sneak behind the shed and snap this
photo. It matches the description of Cooper's Hawk from what I read on-line
except for it's size, this bird is BIG! I am attaching a photo, but the tail is not
visible. Thanks for any help you can give me!
Laurie

Answer
Yes, that's a Cooper's Hawk. Females of this species are larger than males and can be up to 50cm in length.

Cooper's are notorious for doing as you described. I once saw a juvenile male drive itself crazy, sitting on the top of a coop filled with doves and whatnot. There was no way he could get in there. But he sure did try. I think he was there for two or three hours, before he finally gave it up. He returned several more times that week though.

Julia Booth

Expertise

I can answer questions about bird identification (by sight or sound), behavior, distribution, population, conservation, mating, nesting, fledging and feeding. I do have some practical knowledge about foreign species, but identification skills are limited in that arena. Bear in mind that as much as I know, it's possible that at least some of you will ask a question that I am unable to answer. At which point I would direct you to wherever or whomever I thought could provide you with that information.

Experience

I have 15 years birding experience in Southern California.

Organizations
Audubon Society

Education/Credentials
My education is in art and photography -but I have a substantial portfolio of nature related work.

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