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Ever seen a bird age through its eyes? Meet the Cooper's Hawks.![]()
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Cooper's Hawks can be found in Wisconsin year-round.They live in forests, woodlands, and rivers, though they’re also able to thrive in suburbs and cities that have plenty of trees. Like many other predatory birds, Cooper's Hawks can be seen as a nuisance by some people. Known for preying on songbirds, they will often stalk bird feeders for a quick snack.![]()
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Juvenile Cooper's Hawks look quite different from adults, with brown and white feathers, in contrast to the adults’ blue-gray backs and reddish-barred undersides. The most striking difference, however, is their eye color—young Cooper's Hawks have gray eyes that turn bright yellow at around one year old, and then deep red as adults, typically by age 3 to 5.![]()
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Despite their seemingly unique appearance, there is actually another hawk that looks almost identical. Less common in our area, the Sharp-shinned Hawk shares many of the same behaviors and characteristics as the Cooper's Hawk. The only reliable way to tell them apart is by their size and the shape of the feathers on their tails. Cooper's Hawks are slightly larger and have more rounded tails, while Sharp-shinned Hawks have tails that appear more squared when perched.![]()
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What signs of late summer do you see? Visit us for a hike or take a walk around your neighborhood looking for cyclical events influenced by seasonal changes. ![]()
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Photo: Kira Breitlow, Aldo Leopold Nature Center![]()
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#PhenologyUpdate #CoopersHawk #WIEnviroEd #NatureIsEverywhere #NatureIsForEveryone #EveryBodyOutside
