bˈɔːɹn ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹˈiː tə pˈɛɹənts hˌuː wɜː bˈoʊθ tˈiːtʃɚz, kˈuːpɚ fˈaʊnd hɪz ˈɪntɹɛst ɪn bˈɜːdz wˌaɪl ɹˈiːdɪŋ ɐ bˈɜːdwwɑːtʃɪŋ bˈʊk dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ɐ ɹˈoʊdtɹɪp fɹʌm hɪz lˈɔŋ ˈaɪlənd tʃˈaɪldhʊd hˈoʊm tə kˌælɪfˈoːɹniə.
Born in 1963 to parents who were both teachers, Cooper found his interest in birds while reading a birdwatching book during a roadtrip from his Long Island childhood home to California.