Red-Shouldered Hawk or Cooper’s Hawk?
Here's how to tell the difference
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
General appearance
The red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus, is a medium-sized bird of prey with a distinctive appearance. It features reddish-brown shoulders, a barred rufous chest, and dark brown plumage streaked with white. The black and white checkered wings and tail are visible in flight, along with a transparent, crescent-shaped window near the wingtips. Adult eyes are dark, and legs are yellow.
Male vs female
Red-shouldered hawks exhibit slight sexual dimorphism, with females larger than males, though their plumage is similar. The size difference is a more reliable indicator than coloration when differentiating between sexes. Both males and females possess the species' characteristic red shoulder patch and barred underparts.
Juvenile
Juveniles appear more muted, with brown, streaked plumage instead of the reddish tones. Their underparts are pale with vertically streaked brown. Juvenile eye color is yellowish, darkening with age. Over time, they develop the adult's checkered wings and red shoulders.
Size
16.9 - 24.0 in/17.1 - 27.3 oz
There's more to learn about Red-Shouldered Hawk
View full detailsCooper’s Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
General appearance
The Cooper’s hawk is a medium-sized bird, about the size of a crow, or a mallard or herring gull. It measures between 14-20 inches in length with a wingspan of 28 inches. The adult Cooper’s hawk is blue-gray above and pale reddish below. The species overall has a broad rounded wing shape and a long, rounded tail shape.
Male vs female
Apart from the general size difference, there are not many distinct variations between male and female Cooper’s hawks. Both sexes are blue-gray above and pale reddish below. One slight difference is in the tail’s end: females may show a more rounded tip than males. They also sport a more contrasting dark cap.
Juvenile
Juvenile Cooper’s hawks are brown above and striped below. They differ from adults in their coloration as they lack the blue-gray and pale reddish hues. Their streakings are sharper and darker on a white chest. As they age, however, the juveniles will take on the mature, adults' blue-gray, and pale reddish coloration.
Size
13.4 - 20.1 in/9.7 - 23.5 oz
There's more to learn about Cooper’s Hawk
View full detailsHow to tell the Red-Shouldered Hawk from the Cooper’s Hawk
Visual differences
The Red-shouldered Hawk (17-24 inches) is larger than the Cooper's Hawk (14-20 inches). It exhibits reddish-brown shoulders, a barred rufous chest, and black-and-white checkered wings. The Cooper's Hawk has a blue-gray back and pale reddish below with broad, rounded wings and a long, rounded tail. Juveniles of both species are brown and streaked, but Red-shouldered Hawk juveniles have vertically streaked underparts, whereas Cooper's Hawk juveniles have sharper, darker streaks on a white chest. The Red-shouldered has dark eyes and yellow legs, while the Cooper's features a contrasting dark cap.
Key differences and behavior
The Red-Shouldered Hawk and Cooper's Hawk exhibit distinct behaviors and habitat preferences. Red-shouldered hawks inhabit deciduous or mixed forests near water and perform elaborate courtship displays, while Cooper's hawks are found in various forests, including urban areas, and use slow, exaggerated wingbeats during courtship. Red-shouldered hawks feed predominantly on small mammals and amphibians, avoiding bird feeders, whereas Cooper's hawks specialize in hunting birds and occasionally exploit feeders to capture them. In terms of nesting, Red-shouldered hawks use tall trees near water, sharing parental duties, while Cooper's hawks build nests 25-50 feet up, with males providing food during incubation. Behavioral interactions differ, as Red-shouldered hawks occasionally engage with crows, whereas Cooper's hawks, known for their speed, risk chest fractures while hunting. Both species exhibit sexual size dimorphism, with females larger than males.
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