The Cooper’s hawk is a medium-sized hawk found throughout most of North America. Cooper’s hawks are adept woodland hunters and primarily prey on other birds. Their natural habitat ranges across much of the continent, wherever suitable forested areas exist. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the range and distribution of the Cooper’s hawk.
Natural Range
The Cooper’s hawk has an extensive natural range that covers much of North America. They breed throughout southern Canada, the United States, and into northern Mexico. Their breeding range extends as far north as Alberta and southern Northwest Territories in Canada, throughout the continental United States, and into northern Baja California and central Sonora in Mexico.
During the winter, Cooper’s hawks may migrate somewhat southward depending on the region, but many remain permanent residents throughout much of their breeding range. They winter as far north as southern British Columbia in Canada, throughout the southern United States from the Pacific to Atlantic coasts, and throughout Mexico into Central America.
Here is a table summarizing the Cooper’s hawk’s breeding and wintering range:
| Region | Breeding Range | Wintering Range |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | Alberta to southern Northwest Territories | Southern British Columbia southward |
| United States | Throughout continental states | Throughout continental states |
| Mexico | Northern Baja California to central Sonora | Throughout Mexico into Central America |
So in summary, the Cooper’s hawk breeds across southern Canada, the entire continental United States, and into northern Mexico. It winters throughout much of this same range, extending a bit further south into Central America. The Cooper’s is absent as a breeding bird from the northernmost parts of Canada.
Favored Habitats
Within their widespread range, Cooper’s hawks occupy a variety of forested habitats. They prefer forested areas interspersed with openings and edges, as these provide good opportunities for hunting the birds that are their primary prey.
Some typical habitats include deciduous, coniferous, or mixed forests, wooded patches along rivers and streams, forested parks and preserves within urban areas, and woodlots. In western North America, they also inhabit forested mountains up to elevations of about 10,000 feet. The availability of a dense tree canopy for nesting and cover seems to be a common requirement across the various forest types Cooper’s hawks occupy.
Here are some examples of favored habitats across their range:
- Deciduous forests in eastern North America
- Coniferous forests in the western mountains and northeast
- Mixed pine-oak woodlands in the southwest
- Riparian woodlands in prairie regions
- Mountain pine and fir forests
- Suburban parks and woodlots
Within these forested environments, Cooper’s hawks often hunt along edges like openings, trails, streams, and backyards where bird prey may be more abundant. They nest in a wide variety of trees, both conifers and deciduous species, typically 20-50 feet above ground.
Population Distribution
Across their extensive range, Cooper’s hawk populations appear generally stable and the species as a whole is not considered globally threatened. However, the density of breeding pairs varies across different regions.
Higher breeding densities are found in areas of preferred forest habitat, particularly where prey like smaller birds are abundant. For example, breeding surveys have found higher densities in deciduous forests of the eastern United States than in western coniferous forests. Parts of the arid southwest represent less suitable habitat due to lower prey populations.
Some estimates of breeding density include:
- 0.5-1 pairs per 100 hectares in eastern deciduous forests
- 0.1-0.5 pairs per 100 hectares in western coniferous forests
- 0.1-0.2 pairs per 100 hectares in southwest pine-oak forests
So while Cooper’s hawks occur over a wide geographic area, the distribution is uneven and tracked most closely with the availability of forested habitat and prey base. Suitable habitat may be patchier in the western portion of their range. Urban areas can also provide habitat through parklands and support higher densities of breeding pairs.
Urban Cooper’s Hawks
Cooper’s hawks have adapted well to urban and suburban areas within their range. Cities and towns provide forests in the form of landscaped parks, greenways, and backyard trees. An abundance of feeders and bird nests also provide cooper’s hawks with ample prey.
Breeding bird surveys have found urban densities up to 9 times higher than surrounding native forests. For example, New York City may support 200-400 breeding pairs while the vast Adirondack forest to the north houses just 50-70 pairs. Other major cities like San Diego, Portland, and Tucson also harbor dense urban populations.
As urbanization increases across North America, urban-adapted Cooper’s hawks are likely to increase in numbers and expand beyond their historical native forests. This illustrates the species’ ability to thrive in close proximity to human development.
Regional Variations
Across the wide range of the Cooper’s hawk, there are some gradual geographic variations in appearance. These reflect adaptations to local habitat and environment. While Cooper’s hawks appear very similar across their range, scientists recognize four subspecies showing subtle regional differences.
Northern Cooper’s Hawk
The nominate race A. c. cooperii occupies the northernmost part of the breeding range in Canada and Alaska. It is the largest and palest subspecies and tends to be a permanent resident. The tail bands are narrow and grayish.
Eastern Cooper’s Hawk
The subspecies A. c. cooperii populates eastern North America. It has broader dark tail bands than northern Cooper’s hawks. Eastern populations tend to migrate somewhat farther than western ones.
Western Cooper’s Hawk
A. c. mexicanus occurs west of the Rocky Mountains into Mexico. It is the smallest and darkest race with a more extensively gray-barred underside. Some are permanent residents while others are short-distance migrants.
Florida Cooper’s Hawk
A small resident population of A. c. cooperii occupies Florida’s subtropical habitat. They are smaller than northern Cooper’s hawks with weaker chest streaking.
Overall the differences between these subspecies are subtle. There is a weak geographical trend toward larger and paler birds in the north, and smaller darker ones toward the subtropical south. Even within regions there is considerable individual variation that blurs the lines between subspecies. Taxonomists still recognize them as a single polytypic species.
Habitat Threats
Though still common, habitat loss poses the biggest threat to Cooper’s hawks within portions of their range. Extensive deforestation for agriculture and development has reduced available nesting habitat and prey in some areas.
For example, breeding populations are declining in the arid oak woodlands of southern Arizona due to ongoing habitat degradation. Cooper’s hawks favor riparian areas within these dry woodlands. Loss of riparian habitat is also a concern in prairie regions.
In contrast, breeding populations remain stable or are increasing within urbanizing areas where parks and residential trees provide ample habitat. While not currently endangered overall, continued habitat protection is important for the long-term security of Cooper’s hawk populations.
Conclusion
In summary, the Cooper’s hawk occupies a wide range across forested habitats of North America. They can be found breeding anywhere from Alberta to Panama wherever sufficient woodland occurs. Within this range they inhabit diverse forest types from eastern deciduous to western coniferous forests.
Breeding densities are highest in areas with ample prey. While a widespread generalist species, Cooper’s hawks face threats from habitat loss and degradation, especially in arid woodlands and prairies. Continued preservation of forests and riparian zones will benefit Cooper’s hawk populations into the future. Though adaptable, they still rely on natural and semi-natural woodland habitats across their range.
