COOPER'S HAWK. 
305 
Color. Adult male. Above, including secondaries and upper wing coverts, slaty-blue, darkest on the head, with ter- 
tiaries spotted on both webs, and primaries and secondaries barred on inner webs, with white, also the base of feathers on 
occiput, white. Primaries, brown, and, wdth the secondaries, are barred on both webs with dark-brown. Tail, ashy-brown, 
tipped with white and barred with dark-bi’own. Beneath, including under wing coverts, tibia, and under tail coverts, 
white, the former, spotted with dark-brown and the latter, immaculate, but all the remaining feathers below have a narrow, 
central line of dark-brown and are transversely banded, excepting on throat, with reddish-brown. 
Adult female. Quite similar to the male in general coloration but lighter above, where the feathers show central lines 
of darker, and the tints below are much lighter. 
Young. Browner above than in the female and there are some traces of yellowish-rufous on the head and neck. Lon¬ 
gitudinally streaked below with dark yellowish-brown. 
Young of the year. Dark-brown above, with every feather edged with reddish. The markings below are also broader 
and darker. Otherwise similar to the above. 
Nestlings. Are at first covered with a pale reddish down, then gradually assume the plumage last described which 
they keep for a year. Bill, dark-brown, bluish at base, cere, greenish, feet, yellow, in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Although specimens of the same age are quite uniform in pattern of coloration, they vary somewhat in tintings, espe¬ 
cially below. Known from the closely allied fuscus, by the larger size, shorter tarsus, and comparatively short middle toe 
which only about equals in length the hind toe and claw, and from all others, by the short wings, long tail, and colors as 
described. Distributed as a summer resident, throughout temperate North America. Winters in the portions south of 
latitude 42°. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of male specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 17*00; stretch, 28*00; wing, 9 - 50 
tail, 8*25; bill, ‘65; tarsus, 2*55. Longest specimen, 18*00; greatest extent of wing, 29*00, longest wing, 10*00; tail, 8 - 50 
bill, - 70; tarsus, 2*60. Shortest specimen, 16'00; smallest extent of wing, 27‘00; shortest wing, 9*00; tail, 8-00; bill, '60 
tarsus, 2*50. 
Average measurements of female specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 19 - 00; stretch, 30*00; wing, 10’50 
tail, 8*95; bill, *70; tarsus, 2*65. Longest specimen, 20 00; greatest extent of wing, 3P00; longest wing, 11 00; tail, 9*75 
bill, '71; tarsus, 2*70. Shortest specimen, 18*00; smallest extent of wing, 29*00; shortest wing, 10*00; tail, 8*10; bill, *08 
tarsus, 2*50. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, usually placed in high trees. They are somewhat bulky structures, composed ofsticks, lined with strips of bark, 
leaves, weeds, and grass. 
Eggs, from two to four in number, rather spherical in form, pale bluish-white in color, usually spotted with pale reddish- 
brown. Dimensions from 1*90 x 1*50 to 2*10x 1*60. 
HABITS. 
Cooper’s Hawks are not only similar to the Sharp-shins in color and general form, but 
also closely resemble them in flight; so closely, in fact, that it is often quite difficult to 
decide to which species a particular specimen belongs when seen upon the wing at a dis¬ 
tance. This similarity, however, is not as noticeable in the habits of the two species; it 
is true, that both exhibit the same rapidity of movement and both are equally bold in their 
forays upon the poultry-yard, but in this respect, the species now under consideration, 
must bear away the palm, for their larger size and comparatively greater strength enable 
them to not only capture the young fowls and hens but the lord of the seraglio, Chanti¬ 
cleer, himself, is not safe from their attacks, for his attempts to punish the bold intruders, 
are too often met with defeat and his lifeless body is born away to the nearest thicket to 
be devoured by the conquering Hawk. 
When hunting for prey, Cooper’s Hawks fly, as a rule, rather higher than the Sharp- 
shins but when they perceive their booty, they dart down upon it with almost incredible 
speed, generally striking with a certain aim. Thus they scour woodland, plain, and river 
39 
