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Cooper's Hawk in California, ID Help (1 Viewer)

Hockey.Lover

Well-known member
Cooper's Hawk (?) in California, ID Help

I was thrilled a hawk on my fence this morning. The cats were eyeballing it from the window. Fortunately, my camera was right next to me. Two of the shots are very clear, but the one where it is taking off is blurry.

I've had a Sharpie in my yard before and it seemed so much smaller than this one. My guess is a Cooper's Hawk? Thanks.

Gail
 

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Your guess is right - lovely Cooper´s Hawk with it´s paler neckside/nape than crown, best seen in image 2 where also seen that eye is set well forward.

Nice images!

JanJ
 
JANJ said:
Your guess is right - lovely Cooper´s Hawk with it´s paler neckside/nape than crown, best seen in image 2 where also seen that eye is set well forward.

Nice images!

JanJ

Thank you, JanJ. So I got the paler neckside part. I couldn't tell by any of my photos that the tail was longer and rounder... The eye set well forward is another characteristic?

:D
 
Hockey.Lover said:
Thank you very much, bitterntwisted. How do you tell gender on these?

With rather more perspecuity than I showed, Gail. I was just double-checking as you posted. I erred horribly there, and shall retreat to threads on British birds in shame. Serves me right for brazenly crossing continents without my books!

Cooper's do not show the sexual dimorphism that their Eurasian counterparts do, and so it seems size is the only guide with females being up to 20" and males as small as 14". Presumably why Alex didn't make a call on the sex.

Sorry!

Graham

EDIT: If you can nip out and measure that fence, we might save my embarassment yet!

EDIT2: I'll delete my post if you delete yours then no-one need know, right? ;)
 
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Photo 2 is fantastic! It shows the "fierce" look that is supposed to denote Cooper's rather than Sharpie. But it also shows a very clear, wide white terminal tail band that, combined with the size, points to Cooper's (I am not judging the size, but, rather, referring to your having noticed its larger size). I didn't know about the paler neck. I will remember that.
 
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bitterntwisted said:
With rather more perspecuity than I showed, Gail. I was just double-checking as you posted. I erred horribly there, and shall retreat to threads on British birds in shame. Serves me right for brazenly crossing continents without my books!

Cooper's do not show the sexual dimorphism that their Eurasian counterparts do, and so it seems size is the only guide with females being up to 20" and males as small as 14". Presumably why Alex didn't make a call on the sex.

Sorry!

Graham

EDIT: If you can nip out and measure that fence, we might save my embarassment yet!

EDIT2: I'll delete my post if you delete yours then no-one need know, right? ;)

LOL, Graham. That is too funny!!

To humor you, I went out and measured that top board on the fence. It is 3" high, sorry I don't know metric.... :eek!: Does that help?

~G

Edited to say that my 'crude' calculations say the size is female.
 
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Terry O'Nolley said:
Photo 2 is fantastic! It shows the "fierce" look that is supposed to denote Cooper's rather than Sharpie. But it also shows a very clear, wide white terminal tail band that, combined with the size, points to Cooper's (I am not judging the size, but, rather, referring to your having noticed its larger size). I didn't know about the paler neck. I will remember that.

Thank you Terry!! That is my favorite, as well. :D Maybe Graham can figure out it's size?? :brains:
 
Terry O'Nolley said:
Photo 2 is fantastic! It shows the "fierce" look that is supposed to denote Cooper's rather than Sharpie. But it also shows a very clear, wide white terminal tail band that, combined with the size, points to Cooper's (I am not judging the size, but, rather, referring to your having noticed its larger size). I didn't know about the paler neck. I will remember that.

That "fierce-look" can be a dangerous feature - not diagnostic by any means. Somewhere JanJ, BLag, ChrisB, or someone else posted links of fierce-looking Sharpies and innocent-looking Coops - it's a needle in a haystack of Accipiter threads, though... I'll see if I can find it...
 
overworkedirish said:
That "fierce-look" can be a dangerous feature - not diagnostic by any means. Somewhere JanJ, BLag, ChrisB, or someone else posted links of fierce-looking Sharpies and innocent-looking Coops - it's a needle in a haystack of Accipiter threads, though... I'll see if I can find it...

I agree. That is why I used the phrase "supposed to denote" and then "But it also shows....." to indicate the more definitive fieldmark.
 
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Terry O'Nolley said:
I agree. That is why I used the phrase "supposed to denote" and then "But it also shows....." to indicate the more definitive fieldmark.

:t:

I know you know, Terry - just wanna make sure anyone lurking on the forum and trying to learn doesn't misunderstand.
 
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If that top beam is 3" deep, then the very rudimentary "Coopometer" (pat. pending) below makes the bird at least 33", and realistically at least 3'. If it's a female I wouldn't want to be Mr. Cooper's Hawk in that relationship. I know you've not gone metric, Gail, but are you sure your tape measure hasn't?

Graham
 

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bitterntwisted said:
If that top beam is 3" deep, then the very rudimentary "Coopometer" (pat. pending) below makes the bird at least 33", and realistically at least 3'. If it's a female I wouldn't want to be Mr. Cooper's Hawk in that relationship. I know you've not gone metric, Gail, but are you sure your tape measure hasn't?

Graham

A 3' Coop??? :eek!: :eek!: I think something got lost in communication/measurement... a Coop that big's like... impossible. :brains: :brains: :eek!: :h?:
 
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