COOl'KK'S HAWK. 

 Accipiter cooperi. 



DESCRIPTION. 



AduU—^hove uniform bluish-gray, and top of head black- 

 isti: tail has several transverse blackish bands; lower parts 

 white; breast and sides being barrtd with dusky or reddish- 

 brown. Ins reddish amber. 



Immature. -Abovti dusky, more or less spotted with white 

 t"l1 '■^'i'^'sli brown; tail banded; lower parts whitish with 

 >^f iifT".n^?°'S- ^'■'^, ^^"°"'- ^ '^'•S'^ f^^male measures 

 trom lb to 20 inches in length by 36 in extent; the long and 



'XmL/ v'^fh^Y'''' '"'°"' ^^ '"'=''''^' ^^^ •"^'^ i'^ smaller. 

 Habtiat-^orth America in general. Common in Pennsyl- 

 vania, particularly in wooded and mountainous districts. 



This mucli destested and commonly called "Long- 

 tailed Chicken or Pheasant Hawk"— a native— is lesi 

 dent but it is not nearly so plentiful during the winter 

 season as Ihroughont the late spring, summer and 

 early aiitnimi. 



THE NEST AND EGGS. 



Nest building is commonly begun in this locality 

 about the middle of April, and lasts for a period of 

 from three to five days. Occasionally this bird will 

 deposit its eggs in a deserted crow's nest. I believe 

 they prefer to erect their own nests, and, from my ob- 

 servation, am quite positive they only appropriate the 

 nests of other birds when their own have been de- 

 stroyed. The building of tlie nest is the conjoint 1-bor 

 of both birds. 



It is usually built in a fliick woods, and when a paii' 

 of Cooper's Hawks begin housekeeping in \MKidland 

 near the farmer's poultry yard and thev are not ■soon 

 Ininl.'d np ,nul lcill,.d or (I„.i,. „,.s( ;,„d its conleuts de- 

 slr.m.d, llic rh.m.-cs .uv iliey will drslroy a good manv 



