BirdAnalyst
Species · BBS 2026 Release · 1966–2025

Cooper's Hawk Population Analysis

AccipitridaeBirds of preyAccipiter cooperii

Cooper's Hawk has surged: up 181% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

+181%Since 1968TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
2,437RoutesSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
59Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

About the Cooper's Hawk

The Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) is a North American member of the Hawks, Eagles & Kites (Accipitridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the birds of prey.

Size
17.5–39.5 in long (45–100 cm) — a medium to large raptor (typical for the family)
Habitat
Open country, woodlands, cliffs and wetlands, hunting from the air or a high perch.
Diet
Live prey — small mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and large insects (carrion for vultures).
Range
Recorded on 2,437 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 48 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
Family
Accipitridae · Birds of prey

Notable Cooper's Hawk TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →

No notable trend signals for Cooper's Hawk. See the full index history below.

Cooper's Hawk Population Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Cooper's Hawk is projected to rise about 21% by 2030 — from 0.10 in 2025 to a central estimate of 0.12 (95% range 0.10–0.15). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±12.2%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

+21%Change by 2030TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
0.12Projected 2030 indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →
0.10–0.1595% range95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
±12.2%Backtest errorBacktest errorTypical error when we hold out the most recent years, forecast them, and compare to what actually happened. Lower means a more trustworthy projection.Full methodology →
If the recent trend holds, Cooper's Hawk is projected to rise about 21% by 2030 — from 0.10 in 2025 to a central estimate of 0.12 (95% range 0.10–0.15). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±12.2%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.19662030
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →95% low95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →95% high95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
20260.120.090.14
20270.120.090.14
20280.120.100.14
20290.120.100.14
20300.120.100.15

Where the Cooper's Hawk Is Detected

BBS routes recording Cooper's Hawk, sized by most recent count.

Cooper's Hawk Population Trend by State

Cooper's Hawk population trend by state.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Alabama+251%196890
Arizona-18%197439
Arkansas+144%197031
California+62%1970162
Colorado-18%197473
Connecticut+57%198117
Delaware+257%199613
Florida+48%196869
Georgia+97%197181
Idaho-85%197628
Illinois+806%198090
Indiana+100%197563
Iowa+219%199525
Kansas+184%198138
Kentucky+286%196848
Louisiana-20%197352
Maine+49%198321
Maryland12×196864
Massachusetts+114%198321
Michigan+57%196965
Minnesota+69%197548
Mississippi-36%197333
Missouri+148%197758
Montana-81%197438
Nebraska+251%200029
Nevada+29%199716
New Hampshire+51%198716
New Jersey+313%198825
New Mexico-46%197944
New York12×197085
North Carolina+99%197086
North Dakota-11%197931
Ohio+73%196876
Oklahoma+81%197347
Oregon-27%197473
Pennsylvania+301%1969108
Rhode Islandinsufficient datan/a4
South Carolina-44%196830
South Dakota+127%200014
Tennessee+568%196841
Texas+194%1975109
Utah-67%198250
Vermont-13%197317
Virginia+69%197352
Washington+8%197252
West Virginia-78%197046
Wisconsin+121%197084
Wyoming-50%198235

Cooper's Hawk Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Cooper's Hawk population trend by Bird Conservation Region.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Northern Pacific Rainforest-14%197375
Great Basin+7%1971101
Northern Rockies-18%197496
Prairie Potholes+83%197757
Boreal Hardwood Transition+31%197457
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain+327%196867
Atlantic Northern Forest+101%197165
Sierra Nevada-48%197720
Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau-26%1974136
Badlands and Prairies-76%198330
Shortgrass Prairie-2%199220
Central Mixed Grass Prairie+217%198163
Edwards Plateau-9%199214
Oaks and Prairies+65%197451
Eastern Tallgrass Prairie+478%1968215
Prairie Hardwood Transition+112%1969141
Central Hardwoods+150%1968133
West Gulf Coastal Plain / Ouachitas+88%196962
Mississippi Alluvial Valley+9%197634
Southeastern Coastal Plain+147%1968241
Appalachian Mountains+195%1968295
Piedmont+178%1969125
New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast15×1968114
Peninsular Florida+31%196939
Coastal California+63%197091
Sonoran and Mojave Deserts-27%198017
Sierra Madre Occidental-54%197429
Chihuahuan Desert-19%198020
Tamaulipan Brushlands-23%199313
Gulf Coastal Prairie-0%198816

Cooper's Hawk Conservation Status

Our route-weighted index shows it up about 181% since 1968.

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.