202 



COOPER HAWK 

 333. Accipiter cooperi. 16 in. 



This hawk is a large edition of the last species. All 

 hawks vary in size, this one and the last, perhaps, 

 more than any others. Female hawks are always the 

 largest. A large female of the Sharp-shinned variety. 

 is often as large as a small male Cooper, but the 

 crown of the Cooper is darker than that of the Sharp- 

 shinned, and his tail is always rounded, while that of 

 the last species is nearly square at the end. This is 

 also a destructive species; it is usually one of these 

 two hawks, or the Goshawk, that is responsible for 

 the ill-feeling with which farmers regard all of the 

 family. All small hawks are known to farmers as 

 " Chicken Hawks," and large ones as " Hen Hawks," 

 but the majority of our hawks rarely disturb fowls. 



Nest. Of sticks in crotches of trees, usually quite 

 high up; often old crows nests are used; eggs bluish- 

 white, unmarked or verv faintly specked with brown. 

 (1.90x1.45) ; April. 



Range. Breeds from the Gulf north to southern 

 Canada; winters from Mass, and Oregon southward. 



