I work with an avid bird watcher and got an answer from him: I’m pretty sure it is a Cooper’s Hawk. I’d say it is a first year juvenile, since the stripes on the breast are vertical (they are horizontal in adults), and the eye is yellow (it darkens with age). The top of the head is slightly flattened—it has a little bit of a crest that is lowered in these photos. A Peregrine would have a malar patches around the eyes, feathers farther down the legs, paler legs, and are more gray than brown. Also, the habitat definitely suggests Cooper’s Hawk rather than Peregrine. Cool photo!
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timeasmymeasure
ID Answer
Date: 2007-11-19 08:54 pm (UTC)I’m pretty sure it is a Cooper’s Hawk. I’d say it is a first year juvenile, since the stripes on the breast are vertical (they are horizontal in adults), and the eye is yellow (it darkens with age). The top of the head is slightly flattened—it has a little bit of a crest that is lowered in these photos. A Peregrine would have a malar patches around the eyes, feathers farther down the legs, paler legs, and are more gray than brown. Also, the habitat definitely suggests Cooper’s Hawk rather than Peregrine. Cool photo!