Coopers Hawk I Think

[Folly's place]

Most of my losses to hawks have been bantams, especially 'young and dumb' juveniles. Most have been lost to Cooper's hawks, although a Red Tailed hawk took one years ago.
I lock my flock in their roofed coop and run for two weeks, at least, when a hawk has come visiting. Once it was three weeks before the Cooper's hawk moved on.
You will love roofing or at least netting your run, it will look way better than those little dead bird bodies...
Mary

 

[Chicken Heel]

I have a young pair of red tail hawks that are usually in the woods behind my house every morning just hoping I will let my hens out of their runs just this once. And they are not real skittish until the five crows that frequent my property show up and run them off.

 

[centrarchid]

Not a Buteo sp. Appearance alone, both in flight and while perched, rules that out. Coopers have sat tight within 30 feet of me several times over the years, even when the bird appeared to recognize my presence and that I was looking at it. Color off for adult and immature Red-tailed Hawks. I got a good look at dorsal side of tail as well. If female Coopers, it was very much on larger end of spectrum. Coloration was not indication bird is young of year, rather adult since base gray. No reddish brown lines on breast as bird perched close enough for them to be seen. Bird appeared sooty gray, lighter colored breast with darker gray cap on bead. I am very familiar with Coopers, Sharp-shinned, Red-tailed, and Red-shouldered hawks that are local to the Midwest.

 

[Rooster2410]

Yeah, roofing is better than netting, and netting is better than nothing. I just posted in the predator thread a red-tail I pulled out of a chicken coop that had netting. It still got in.

Crows enjoy mobbing hawks. :-\ hahah