Cooper’s Hawk or Red-tailed Hawk: What Are The Differences?

Cooper Hawk (Furutaka) and red-tailed hawk (Jamaican Buteo) is a common and widespread bird of prey in North America. These birds occupy a wide range of habitats and are no strangers to backyards and suburbs. So how do you tell the two hawks apart?

One of the most obvious differences between Cooper’s hawks and red-tailed hawks is their size. Red-tailed hawks are significantly larger and heavier on average, although the two species vary considerably in size. The Cooper’s hawk also has a dark hat, a distinct gray back, red underparts, and a relatively long tail. This contrasts with the overall brown upper body of the red-tailed hawk, which also has a characteristic reddish tail when viewed from the back.

There are a few other physical differences to be aware of, including eye color and tail stripes. The two eagles also differed in vocalization, hunting, feeding and flight behavior, which are described later in this article.

If you want to learn how to tell the difference between two of America’s most common birds of prey, read on. We’ll also cover some interesting facts about the habits and biology of these birds. let’s start!

cooper’s eagle

red tailed hawk

Which is bigger, the Cooper hawk or the red-tailed hawk?

Size is a good way to tell the difference between a Cooper’s hawk and a red-tailed hawk. Red-tailed hawks are significantly larger in average size than Cooper’s hawks. These birds are longer in overall length, wingspan and mass than Cooper’s hawks.

Here are the most useful measurements to differentiate the two hawks in the field:

Cooper Eagle Measurements

• Male Cooper’s hawks are about 15 inches (37-39 cm) long. Females are slightly longer 16-17 inches (42-45 cm).
• Males weigh 10-15 ounces (280-410 grams), while females weigh 12-24 ounces (330-680 grams).
• Male Cooper’s hawks have a wingspan of 24-35 inches (62-90 cm), while females measure 30-35 inches (75-90 cm) between wingtips.

red tailed hawk measurement

• Male red-tailed hawks are 18-22 inches (45-56 cm) long, while females are 20-26 inches (50-65 cm). Therefore, male red-tailed hawks are similar in length to female Cooper’s hawks.
• Male red-tailed hawks weigh 24-46 ounces (690-1300 grams), while females are much heavier at 32-51 ounces (900-1460 grams).
• Male and female red-tailed hawks have similar wingspans of 45-52 inches (114-133 cm).

Note the large differences in size and mass, especially between the sexes of the two species. This is typical in birds of prey and is great for making more specific identifications.

Red-tailed hawks are much larger than cooper hawks

Which is more common, Cooper’s hawks or Red-tailed hawks?

Both the Cooper’s hawk and the red-tailed hawk are common and widespread American raptors. Red-tailed hawks, however, are much more widespread, occupying a wider range of habitats and extending farther north.

Red-tailed hawks are more common than Cooper’s hawks. Cooper’s hawks are a more cryptic species, spend less time in the air, and generally don’t roost in as prominent a place as red-tailed hawks. Red-tailed hawks also honk more frequently than cooper’s hawks, so you’re more likely to notice them in the wild.

Absolute numbers cannot be determined, but the total red-tailed hawk population is estimated at as many as 2 million individuals, making the species far more numerous than the Cooper’s hawk, which is estimated to number 800,000 individuals.

Both species are listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and both species have increased dramatically over the past forty years.

Cooper’s Hawks are not usually spotted as often as red-tailed hawks

family

Red-tailed hawks and copper hawks are from different raptor genera. Although they are both called hawks, it is helpful to divide them further into buzzards and hawks, respectively. That distinction is useful here, and it will come in handy when identifying other American hawks in the field.

red tailed hawk from buzzard belongs to. These are medium to large hawks that hunt primarily by catching prey on the ground. In flight, they have broad wings and prominent primary feathers. Other notable hawks include the red-shouldered hawk, the iron hawk, and the Harris hawk.

cooper hawks from chickpeas belongs to. These are mostly small to medium raptors that prey on birds on their wings. They typically have short, rounded wings that enable them to fly at high speed between branches and leaves in wooded environments. The sharp hawk is another example of a falcon.

Close up portrait of red tailed hawk

flight

In public flight, Cooper’s Hawk has a typical flight pattern consisting of a few flaps followed by a glide period. These birds also soar, and then they stand out with their long tails and rounded wings.

Red-tailed hawks spend much longer soaring at altitudes of up to 2,750 feet (840 meters). You’ll see these hawks circling or taking advantage of headwinds to hold a stationary position while scanning the ground below.

cooper’s hawk in flight

Red-tailed hawk gliding in the sky

Habitat

Cooper’s hawks and red-tailed hawks have different prey and hunting strategies, which is part of the reason these birds are often found in different habitats. Red-tailed hawks live primarily in more open areas, while cooper’s hawks are birds of woodland and forest habitats.

eating and hunting

Red-tailed hawks feed on a variety of different birds and animals that they catch on the ground. The most frequently recorded prey species include rodents and rabbits, small game birds and reptiles. Their hunting techniques include perching on high places like utility poles, or soaring aloft and looking for prey below.

Cooper’s hawks prey primarily on songbirds that they catch in flight. They typically hunt in wooded areas, where they use incredible agility and speed to chase their prey while dodging tree trunks and branches. Cooper’s hawks typically target medium-sized birds such as mourning doves, robins, and European starlings, although they will also prey on smaller mammals such as chipmunks.

A male Cooper’s hawk looking for prey

life expectancy

Red-tailed hawks have been known to live up to 25 years in the wild, and one captive specimen has been recorded to live over 29 years. Cooper’s hawks have not been found alive for as long as 20 years have been recorded.

call

A typical red-tailed hawk call is a high-pitched call that is two to three seconds long. It can be phonetically described as ‘You’re welcome‘, or ‘kee-eee-arr‘. This call is most often made when the bird is in flight and may sound like a drawn-out note or be erratic.

Cooper’s hawks have a more diverse range of calls, although they tend to be less frequent than red-tailed hawks. The most commonly reported calls include “click click click‘Alarm call, short’kik‘ Notes are predominantly male and longer’Wow‘ The calls were mainly made by women.

Red-tailed hawk flying low over grass

cooper eagle feather

Adult Cooper’s hawks are very different from red-tailed hawks in plumage color and pattern. These are the most important features to be aware of:

• Cooper’s hawk has a uniform blue-gray back and upper wings.
• The Cooper Hawk has a black hat on its head.
• The lower body is white, fading to warm red towards the head.
• Cooper’s hawks have three striking dark stripes on their tails, which can be seen from both below and above. The outer edge of the tail is white.
• Adult Cooper’s hawks have orange to red eyes and yellow legs.

Cooper’s hawk perched on a tree

red tailed hawk feather

Compare the diagnostic characteristics of the Cooper’s hawk listed above to the following to help differentiate the species:

• As the name suggests, most red-tailed hawks have red tails when viewed from above. This color will also show up from below when a soaring bird is seen in good light.
• Red-tailed hawks appear in dark, light, and intermediate variants. When viewed from below, the dark variant is completely black except for its contrasting white flight feathers. The underside of light individuals is mostly whitish, and the wingtips and trailing edges are black. There are obvious markings on the leading edge of the wings, and there is often a brown horizontal band on the abdomen.
• Adult red-tailed hawks have yellow legs and brown eyes.

Red-tailed hawk sitting on a perch

Female Cooper’s Hawk and Female Red-tailed Hawk

The females of both the Cooper hawk and the red-tailed hawk are much larger than the males. Aside from size differences, the sexes are similar, so you can look for the same visual cues listed above when distinguishing the females of each species.

juvenile Cooper’s hawk and juvenile red-tailed hawk

In terms of coloration, juvenile red-tailed hawks look very similar to juvenile Cooper’s hawks. Immature red-tailed hawks have striped tails, and both species have yellow eyes and legs, which is likely to cause some confusion here. Review the following characteristics to help distinguish juvenile red-tailed hawks from juvenile Cooper’s hawks.

Along with clues such as size, tail length, and behavior, tail stripes are the best way to tell juvenile Cooper’s hawks apart from red-tailed hawks. Juvenile Cooper’s hawks have the characteristic long tail of an olecranon, with three dark bands and a white fringe. Juvenile red-tailed hawks have six or more thin horizontal bands.