With a fortuitous glance out the window, I saw a Cooper’s Hawk, Accipiter cooperii, glide to and perch on our swing beam.
Typically hunters of other birds rather than rodents, the only potential prey that I noticed were a couple of Grey Squirrels running atop the wooden fence behind the swing beam as the hawk landed, and who nearly tied themselves into a knot as they scrambled away from the hawk’s reach. That was a funny sight, but I can’t blame the squirrels for their caution!
There are several Cooper’s in our neighborhood and this time of year, I see at least one almost daily. I think this is a juvenile or young adult hawk, as its eyes are not the deep orange of an adult, but more golden colored. Also, it didn’t catch anything; young hawks have a steep learning curve.
Happy hunting handsome–there are more than enough doves.
My Gardener Says... 
Nice shots, Tina. I never like to see one of these in my yard, even though I know they have to eat to live, too!
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Thanks, Eliza. I’m always thrilled to see a predator. Like it or not, there’s lots of life and death in a garden. This time, there was only squirrel antics. 🙂
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Our modern word hawk developed from Old English hafoc, and havoc would be what those nearly-tying-themselves-into-a-knot squirrels were scrambling to avoid.
Do two different kinds of birds of prey ever prey on each other?
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That’s interesting, I’d never looked at the meaning of ‘hawk’ but you’re right, those squirrels were avoiding havoc–and becoming a meal.
Yes, I think the bigger birds definitely prey on the smaller prey birds, especially the fledglings.
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Kind of like “no honor among thieves.”
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You do have a busy yard. I haven’t seen one on my property for awhile.
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There’s never a dull moment, but it was truly dumb luck that I saw this magnificent bird.
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Beautiful capture!
Would they go for squirrels? They look a lot like our Sparrowhawks who only take out birds.
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I’ve seen a Cooper’s with a squirrel, but they’re generally more interested in birds. Personally, I wish they’d focus their skills on rats, but they’re not listening to me. 🙂
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They are beautiful birds. Quite by accident, I looked out my living room window recently and saw a cooper’s hawk in my backyard. I was shocked and happy to see one up close, but I didn’t like that he was looking for food. When he took off, it appeared he had something in his claws, something very small. I was glad not to know exactly what it was. I hope I don’t see him in my yard again. I’d rather he got his meals elsewhere.
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They really are just beautiful–and huge! I’m always amazed when I see one close-up.
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Cooper’s Hawks are regal and fascinating, aren’t they? Thanks for the background on the meaning. Great photos!
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Yes, Beth! They are wonderful birds to observe, regal and beautiful, like all predators, they’re important in the ecosystem.
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My feeders are dove-heavy, so there always are hawks around. I know there’s a Cooper’s, and I suspect at least one Red-tailed. I’ve wondered whether a hawk was responsible for my tail-less squirrel. (Which, as it happens, I sighted only once and never again.) I know they’re plucking off occasional doves; the feathers are testimony to that. I used to have some mourning doves and a pair of Inca doves, but right now it’s all white-wings, and there are a lot of them! TP&W released their figures on the dove populations prior to hunting season, and the numbers they quoted accorded well with what I see. According to them, the white-wing population (the only figure I can remember) is up 27%. The hawks will be well-fed!
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There’s certainly no shortage of White-winged doves and they’re my least favorite of the doves! I don’t purposely feed them, but of course, they’re sort of the rats of the bird family. 🙂 I’m happy to have any predator keep the population at least somewhat in check.
I rarely see Incas in my garden (though I had one just last week) and they’re my favorite.
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Beautiful creature.
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Indeed!
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Nice photos, Tina. Like Eliza, I’m always torn when I see hawks in our neighborhood as I fear for our feeder birds. I know hawks have to eat, but I wish they didn’t eat other birds. It’s a dilemma.
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Thanks, Tanja! I think it’s important to put aside our human capabilities of empathy and compassion. Nature is harsh and unforgiving, and while I also would prefer that hawks eat only ‘bad’ critters, like invasive rats, evolution has deemed it important that their diet include ‘good’ critters, like birds. That humans have so disrupted the natural order, isn’t the predators’ fault. But I certainly get your concerns.
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