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COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii) STATUS Federal: None State: Species of Special Concern Other: CNDDB Special Animal DESCRIPTION Cooper's hawks are medium-sized accipiters with blue-gray upperparts and reddish-barred underparts. They have an adult wingspan of 29-37 inches and a length of 14-20 inches (National Geographic Society, 1987). Cooper's hawks have short, rounded wings and proportionately long tails. Immatures have fine streaks on the breast and reduced streaks on the belly. The undertail is entirely white and the underparts are a buffy-white color. The Cooper's hawk can be distinguished from the similarly marked sharp-shinned hawk by its relatively larger head, longer neck and rounded tail. The immature Cooper's hawk has a broader white tail tip than the immature sharp-shinned hawk (National Geographic Society, 1987). DISTRIBUTION The current breeding distribution of the Cooper's hawk extends from southern Canada and the United States south to Mexico. In the fall, Cooper's hawks migrate down both coasts to their wintering grounds. The Cooper's hawk winters from the central and southern United States to Mexico. In California, Cooper's hawks are breeders, migrants and winter residents. Cooper's hawks breed in the lowland valleys of California where the breeding season may begin as early as late March and may extend through August. Cooper's hawks migrate along the coast of California in September and can be observed in large numbers, particularly at the Marin Headlands. HABITAT PREFERENCES Cooper's hawks demonstrate a preference for lowland riparian forests which include scattered stands of live or blue oaks as breeding habitat. Some pairs nest in more xeric woodland and forest habitats found in foothill canyons and other upland sites (Beedy and Granholm, 1985). The nest is usually placed in the dense canopy near a clearing and close to water (Ehrlich, Dobkin and Wheye, 1988). During migration and in winter Cooper's hawks can occur in virtually any habitat type with adequate trees or shrubs for roosting.