This past Sunday, as I was sitting out in my yard, I saw a Coopers hawk swoop into our bird-feeding area. Landing briefly in a large juniper tree, the hawk flipped around on the branch then dropped down and made a quick strike on a bird that was sitting in a tray of bird seed. Next the hawk flew up into a ponderosa pine tree.
The seed tray was blocked from my view by the trunk of the tree. However, I knew the hawk had made a successful strike when a few moments later, I saw feathers drifting down from the ponderosa pine tree.
Coopers hawks prey on song birds, and after a successful hunt these hawks will pluck the feathers off of their victim before eating it.
Coopers hawks are so stealthy, its almost as if they appear out of nowhere. Some birds who realize they are being hunted will freeze in place instead of fleeing. That was the case with the bird that got caught in my yard Sunday.
Staying still and in place comes with the risk of being detected, especially when the preyed-upon bird is out in the open. Surely thats where the expression sitting duck originated.
The other response to the sudden appearance of a predator is to flee to fly for cover into the nearest available vegetation. That response might be better for the preyed upon bird than staying in place, but it still leaves the bird vulnerable. On more than one occasion, I have witnessed a Coopers or a sharp-shinned hawk diving into a dense tree or shrub in an effort to get hiding birds to flush from the vegetation. But once the hunted bird flees, the chase is on!
Frequently, Coopers hawks catch birds on the wing by overtaking them in flight. Another hunting technique employed by Coopers hawks is to drive birds into a window, where they are either stunned or killed by the impact. Catching the prey is then simply a matter of picking up the lifeless bird and flying away to enjoy an easy meal.
Coopers hawks are in a family of birds known as Accipiters. There are three types of Accipiters in North America goshawk, Coopers hawk and sharp-shinned hawk. The hunting strategy for these hawks includes the element of surprise and the hawks speed and maneuverability.
Customers at Jays Bird Barn frequently ask me how to discourage Coopers hawks from hunting in their yard. This challenge is daunting. Hawks, just like the birds they hunt, need to eat every day. When you feed birds in your yard, you create a concentration of birds that are alluring for a hungry bird of prey.
In discussing this issue with customers, they sometimes seem to imagine that if they stop feeding birds in their yard, this issue will be resolved. While removing bird feeders may reduce or eliminate predation of birds in a yard, not feeding birds will not stop hawks from eating birds somewhere else every day.
Remember, when a hawk catches a bird in your yard, this behavior is natural and normal. Hawk species that prey on birds have been around for millennia, and their predatory behavior will continue. There is no solution to solve this so-called problem, nor should there be. Predation is part of the balance of nature.
Oftentimes, a customer will report seeing a peregrine falcon in their yard, but its more likely it was Coopers hawk rather than a falcon.
Eric Moore is the owner of Jays Bird Barn, with three locations in northern Arizona Prescott, Sedona and Flagstaff. He has been an avid birder for more than 50 years. For questions about wild birds, email him at eric@jaysbirdbarn.com.
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Recall that a hawk’s behavior in catching a bird in your yard is typical and natural. There have been hawk species that hunt birds for thousands of years, and they will always engage in this predatory behavior. This so-called “problem” has no solution, and there never should be. Predation is part of the balance of nature.
The alternative reaction to a predator’s unexpected appearance is to run, or fly for cover, into the closest patch of flora. Although the preyed bird may find that response preferable to remaining stationary, it still exposes the bird to danger. I have seen Cooper’s or Sharp-shinned hawks repeatedly dive into thickets of trees or shrubs in an attempt to flush birds that are hiding from the foliage. But once the hunted bird flees, the chase is on!.
I am often asked by customers at Jay’s Bird Barn how to deter Cooper’s hawks from hunting in their backyard. This challenge is daunting. Like the birds they hunt, hawks require food on a daily basis. When you feed the birds in your yard, you attract a hungry bird of prey with the concentration of birds.
The tree’s trunk obscured my view of the seed tray. However, a few moments later, I noticed feathers drifting down from the ponderosa pine tree, so I knew the hawk had made a successful strike.
Cooper’s hawks belong to the Accipiter family of birds. In North America, there are three different species of Accipiters: goshawk, cooper’s hawk, and sharp-shinned hawk. These hawks use speed and agility in addition to the element of surprise in their hunting tactics.