Cooper's Hawks and Sharp Shinned Hawks are very similar in their plumage. Adult Cooper's are about six inches taller than adult Sharp Shinned and nearly three times the weight. Both range throughout the US, (although many Sharp Shinned migrate from Alaska and Northern Canada to the lower US in the winter). Both can be seen here at The Azure Gate year round. And finally both go through very similar plumage changes as they grow from juvenile to adult. In both cases the juvenile has vertical dark streaks which turn orange and horizontal as they mature. In both cases the wings and back are dark brown as juveniles, but turn blue gray as an adult.
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| Juvenile Cooper's Hawk |
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| Adult Cooper's Hawk |
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| Juvenile Sharp Shinned Hawk |
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| Adult Sharp Shinned Hawk |
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