More by coincidence than by design, I presently live in a condo adjacent to a seasonal wetland that is the drainage in the neighborhood. This has been providing me the opportunity to watch a Cooper's up close, numerous times.

I have watched this predator from 40 ft. suffocate, shred and devour one of the finches or juncos visiting my feeders.

Another time I saw it land on the ground and dash into the brush and weeds like a beagle after a rabbit! Not sure if the hawk was after a rodent or bird...but I had only seen him swoop past the feeders previously.

In total I have seen the Cooper's here a half-dozen times. Lots of time spent studying the head, profile, tail and plumage in perfect light.

But, in the end, as the rest of you guys know, unless you get to see more than a "streak through the neighborhood," it is nearly impossible to be sure which accipiter it is.....