Coopers Hawk Hunting Near Bird Feeder
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Looking out my home office window, I watched this awesome rapter, the sharp-shinned hawk, tenaciously walk around a bush near my bird feeder where two sparrows were hiding. The squirrel was also fascinated by this hunt. The hawk's attempts lasted about 15 min. until he finally fly away when raccoons arrived. The raccoons also heard the birds rustling, peering into the bush and the birds flew off safely. The next day, the hawk returned and made two attempts to grab a pigeon, pinning the second pigeon to the ground, which I also vidoed until I decided to intervene and broke it up. This happened in my West Seattle yard.
[Update Dec. 2011: Thank you to all you smart birders who identified this fellow as a Coopers Hawk. My title said "Sharp-shinned Hawk" for a year, but I've just corrected it to "Coopers Hawk". I wanted to explain for future visitors why the comments were all pointing it was a Coopers and being confused since my title says so - now.
I've been in the avian field now for the better part of 30yrs. Having worked "hands on" with everything from Birds of Prey to Budgies & Macaws. Accipiters are notorious for not giving up on their given quarry. Buteos for example such as Red-Tailed, Red Shoulder, & Ferruginous Hawks will give up much faster. Simply because of the way they are built which is far more stocky and bulky compared to Accipiters and Falcons. They are more open field or plains type of hunters. While Accipiters with their smaller wings and slimmer bodies are able to weave in and out of forests with ease. So this was a great video showing how determined Accipiters are in pursuing their given quarry.
An immature coopers hawk hunts on the ground. After experience, it flies into canopies at 40mph screaming to startle prey, which jumps, and the hawk changes its path to the nearest. An explosion of feathers signal the end of all smaller prey. I've found Merlin feathers in a copse of oaks that a family of coopers bombarded around a water source. They are more maneuverable with that long tail for stability than a falcon.
Great info. I have a coop in my yard, a juvenile with lighter eyes. He gets the mourning doves and house sparrows just fine but the squirrels confound him! They actually ignore him, or purposely taunt him. I am hoping he learns how to get squirrels and chipmunks because they have overpopulated everywhere this last spring thanks to a huge over abundance of acorns last winter (and ugh! We had a huge crop of acorns this year, too!) . I counted 13 squirrels in my tiny little yard just feasting on what I put out for the birds! They squirrels are getting bold, too, coming right up by where I sit looking for food digging my plants and chewing my screen door because they can smell the peanuts inside. I got my blue jays to eat peanuts only from my hand which eliminates a feeder a squirrel can get to, but all the other songbirds get cheated out of a snack eitherby being robbed by the squirrels or the Jays get greedy.
The coop is getting smarter, though. He watches for when I put seed all over my yard, and knows right where to sit in what tree - right where the squirrels can't see him - very patiently he sits. He is learning where they run too when the blue jays call the alarm. One of these days a squirrel or a chipmunk will run right into his talons. He is magnificent to watch! He has so far lowered to overpopulation of mourning doves (way too many of them) and has taken care of ridding the neighborhood of sick finches which keeps them from infecting other birds. I am glad there is a cool in my yard - but I just dont want to find a pile of feathers that belong any other birds like cardinals, jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, flickers, titmice (is that the plural of titmouse?!?) and we even have a brown thrasher! The drama of the circle of life in my own little backyard! And I am even in the yard thanks to the covid-19 pandemic!
Almost the same thing happened to me this weekend. I heard a bang and just knew it was a bird/window strike. I ran outside within 30 sec. and found only the feathers. I looked at the window and saw smudge or oils impression of a pigeon in flight against the window - . It must have been the hawk doing just what yours did. The death haunted me all day because I know by offering seed, I'm a part of this equation. But I know it is nature. Everyone seeks food. Thanks for your story - a universal one.
I've placed Audibon stickers on my patio ' s glass door to prevent birds crashing into it. Try it, really works !
i think it is better to kill Hawk and save the prey
This particular video makes me realize how hard it is to tell the difference between a Cooper's Hawk and a Sharp Shinned Hawk. I thought the tail on the bird in your video was too square to be a Cooper's Hawk. But I don't even know for sure.. I would have guessed Sharp Shinned. :-P
I live in Renton and I just saw a Cooper's last night around my bird feeder. It was so cool. Nice upload.
I just saw this same bird in the Little Village Area, On Kedzie and 24th Street. He was 'swooping down' on 24th to grab a live sparrow in his talons. He flew to the top of the fire station, I think he dropped it. Then, he flew to the top of the 'WIC' building and just sat there, so domineering, looking for something, then he dived across the street, very low, near the auto repair shop. There were a lot of sparrows around today. It was 60 degrees outside. I wish he'd find a mouse or a rat, If you ask me..
Just going from the head and the shape of the tail, I would have said sharp shinned hawk too. I have two that watch my feeders every day. And no, I don't intervene, they have to eat too.
I looked at more pics of the Red Tailed hawk and I think you got it- that appears to be the one at my yard- the fluffy fur on its legs- thank you.
Pretty quiet around that feeder , I don’t even hear the alarm of the Blue Jay
@Najakaouthia111 - Thanks. I was comparing the Sharp-shinned and the Coopers pretty carefully, but it's possible I was wrong.
@tisxnotxreal You are correct, I shouldn't have intervened. After the first few times (and my neighbor advising the same) I left the hawk alone to hunt. I've seen him observing the bird feeders several tims and I tend to walk away from the window so as not to witness what might happen. While he may carry away small birds without leaving evidence, I've twice seen piles of pigeon feathers where the nature did her thing. It's still sad as I feed and enjoy the pigeons.
thanks for the vid, we have a family of Cooper's hawks in the trees behind my house. I'ts great to see them soreing:)
Brandon SOARING!
@@oh_k8 well it IS still a bird feeder.
@@oh_k8 Aperenty they make the best Smores. 🔥 🌳🔥🌳🔥
thx for your response, it was neither of those as the unusual feature of the Hawk seen in at my yard in Michigan was very puffy fur on its legs basically covering its legs, it kinda looked like baggy skin and puffy fur on its legs, was very confident with me outside 20 feet away while it ate the pigeon and acted like it owned my yard. The colors are similar to the Coopers, but thats about it.
Definitely a Cooper's. First; the size. Coops are a bit larger than crows. Second; the bill flows smoothly into the head. A Sharpie's bill is noticeably smaller. Third; the tips of the tail feathers are rounded and are showing white.
Yep this is a Coop and the pale cheeks and smallish size makes me think it's a male.
Yes. Also, some people use that black cap, not extending to the nape of the neck as a differentiating feature. The pale nape of his neck suggests a Cooper's hawk, too.
thats amazing footage. thanks for sharing
@patsijean You're right, it's excessive and my husband says the same thing. But I've come to realize that about half the seed in the box is being gobbled by the grey squirrels that have decided my outside bin is a handy place to eat. They eat the peanuts and sunflower seeds, leaving the millet for the bird feeders. This year I've changed to providing bird suet and sprinkling seed in my hanging flower baskets that are now bare in winter. It seems more natural, albeit unnatural in fact.
A large hawk showed up at my bird feeder recently and killed and ate a pigeon. The hawk was almost twice the size of the one here in the video and there was more fur on its legs-fur just about covering its legs but the colors were similar to the one here in the video. What kind of hawk do you think I seen ? - Michigan,usa
I used to have a beautiful pair of downy woodpeckers and a spotted towhee (among other species) come to my feeder. Then the Cooper's moved in. It took both downy's and the towhee, but leaves the starlings and scrub jays alone. What's up with that? Have all the starlings and house sparrows you want, Cooper, but leave the more valuable birds alone. Please.
You should have shot the dam predator before like a real man will. I do.
CFITOMAHAWK2 stfu. You’re no “real man”. You crumb. Shooting a hawk is a felony and a huge fine you idiot. Trash.
“The Migratory Bird Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2062) was introduced by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., in April 2009. The bill would give federal prosecutors the option of pursuing higher-level penalties for maliciously killing or wounding protected birds.
This legislation will crack down on people who intentionally kill peregrine falcons, Cooper's hawks, red-tailed hawks and other federally protected birds.”
Link: www.humanesociety.org/news/bird-killing-penalties
The second i saw the bird i knew it was cooper's hawk, not only the size but the darker head is a big key.
@josephsmoviecompany Thanks for the ID. Yes, definetly the consensus is Cooper. I'm going to change the video title to reflect the fact.
@PseudoApollodorus Good point about the seed buffet we set out for birds and the bird buffet tempting the hawks. While I irrationally wish nature was vegetarian, I tell myself that, because of the 40 lbs of birdseed I go through a week, more birds survive than might otherwise and these increased numbers allow hawks to eat without really reducing the flocks. But in the past year, the pigeons that roost onmy roof have gone from 20 to about 10.
thumbs up if you watched this video just to see how many people commented saying that it is a red shouldered hawk.
40 lbs per week is a bit excessive. The birds will become too dependent . I scatter feed on my drive but try to remember that I am supplementing their diet, not providing it.
You might look up "Red tail Hawk" and "Rough legged Hawk". Both are bigger than the Cooper's and both could be seen in Michigan.
I always try and keep a close look out for hawks before I feed the wild song birds in the park near where I live. Most little wild song birds just feed on insects, seed and nuts and don't bother anyone. I feel awful that they sometimes fall prey to hawks. I am no fan of hawks. I often think that I would probably intervene if I saw a hawk trying to take one of the wild song birds that I love.
68lincoln you’re an idiot. It’s nature. Humans intervene way too much. Who are you to deny a hawk and its young, food? Scumbag.
@@MOBFAX - boy oh boy ! Judgmental much? You certainly love to call people bad names and use a lot of foul language which doesn't say much for your cultural level . Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I for one don't like the Coopers hawk coming around and killing song birds in my bird feeders while I see field mice on the ground enjoying the seeds dropped by the birds. I chase the hawks away whenever I see them around my place but I wouldn't think of harming this beautiful raptor. Just remember they're a protected species and it's a crime to harm them.
@@isabellerudolf4463 please don't feed the troll. Please do feed the song birds! 😊
@@melissasaint3283 you're so right but I just couldn't let him get away with his nonsense. Lol... I do keep an eye out for the Coopers hawk that comes around almost every morning while my song birdies are feeding near my deck, but they already know the drill and high tail out of there (pun intended). I think I've got them well trained by now since it's their territory and they return every year
@PinkOld Glad you liked the video - and the hawk, Pink. Well, I interceded as a natural impulse to stop death. On reflection, allowing the hawk to eat, though involving death, sustains the hawks life. Like I said, it was an impulse. I live my life carefully to not harm life (vegetarian), but I do know most animals don't have that option. As for death being justified based only on "eliminating a very harmful invasive species" - my personal reaction is THAT reasoning is absurd.
I once stopped a hawk from his meal of a mourning dove. Chances are once the hawk has it in its grasp after sustaining injury of the hawks talons,, the chance of survival is slim. I LOVE birds myself ,,, and I hate to see my cherished cardinals and blue jays fall death to the cycle... but its best if the hawk HAS it,, let it have it.. and yeah the mourning dove died 3 days later. So I learned my lesson. If I see a hawk I will scare it elsewhere away from my feeders. Thats all you really can do.
What an awesome video. The Coopers Hawk is a most beautiful raptor.
I saw a red tailed hawk attack a squirrel and I yelled at the hawk. put that squirrel down. It did eventually
He let the squirrel go? You’re a hero. Usually once they grab them, that’s it. Thanks for saving the fluff ball 🐿
I believe that is a Sharp-shinned hawk.
+fishaddict2 Nevermind...I see that in your comments now. I was responding to the title.
fishaddict2 The title is correct.
@phyllis1753 Oh, cool. I love that you identified each point of differentiation. Now I see it. An education by community!
I found a blue jay last week that could hardly fly due to missing feathers. He managed to escape the hawk but fell out of the tree druing the night and died. Poor thing died mainly from the shock of the attack. I put him out in the field so the foxes could munch on him.
@cambelanger Well, actually I'm saying the Coopers Hawk is hunting, not me. How can you take the time to comment but not take the time to comprehend?
@drewtonium Thank you, Drew!
@LostinNPR Thank you! You've a keener eye than me (with my little bird book). I'm bouyed by the confession that you, as well, were persuaded by my ID, but let the tail tell the real .. tale.
Very interesting bird :-)
I think the yellow eyes indicate it's Sharp Shin Hawk , they are very hard to tell apart.
@SeattleWebGirl You need to better educate yourself on the subject of introduced birds and the tremendous toll they have taken on indigenous species, in this case native songbirds.
If you understood what happened when Old World birds such as the starling, House sparrow, pigeon, and Collared dove were brought here, perhaps you would have gladly allowed the hawk -- himself a native species -- to take a few of the invasives out.
Read up on it or better yet, talk to an ornithologist.
@@oh_k8 Uh, no.
I was talking about the video description, in which the poster mentioned the hawk having hunted and captured a pigeon.
please tell me what it is that these raptors find so un-eatable about squirrels.... ive seen squirrels humping less then 5 feet away from a " RED TAILED HAWK ".
MpowerAPE - great logic! Blame it on Birdbrain
INEDIBLE !
A Coopers hawk killed two of my bird feeder resident mourning doves here yesterday. It chased them into one of my windows. It did not see one of the doves that died and that had fallen into the snow. I ran out to see if the doves were alive but they were dead from the window strike. The hawk flew away to a nearby tree and watched me. When I left ,it returned to eat its meal. It was back this morning to finish what was left. I let it eat and then ran it off with my slingshot and marbles.
You could have killed the hawk with a direct marble hit, which is a felony. Not to mention it isn’t cool, there is no Bird-fil-a or McHawks for them to eat at, that is how they live and die hunting. If you had to hunt so hard to live you wouldn’t want an unforeseen force to unleash an attack on you. Doves and all birds know well what a hawk is and what it does... it’s nature being nature, let them be...
Thanks for recording this, but why in the world would you deny this beautiful hawk his meal later on the next day, especially when he was in the process of eliminating a very harmful invasive species?
That is absurd.
@@oh_k8 Again?
1) Read the damn description!
2) Even if the Cooper's hawk hunts native songbird species, that's *STILL* the proper balance of nature, as the Cooper's hawk is also native.
3) Hawks are exclusively carnivorous and would die if they did not hunt other animals.
This isn't a Disney movie.
As a fellow bird watcher, I would like to know why you broke up it eating a pigeon? Nature is nature! Wouldn't want someone coming and ripping your dinner out of your mouth would you?
+hamronD73 I'm a bird lover and if one of these hawks come into my backyard to feed on my birds, I would take him out. Yes it's nature but the hawk will have to find another place to terrorize and certainly not in my backyard.
+King David If by "take him out" you mean kill him, and if you live in the US, then you'd be in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and subject to a fine of up to $15,000 and/or six months in prison.
King David What an entitled, self righteous attitude you have. Nature, doing what it's done for countless years does not recognize it as "your" backyard nor does it need to. Give your head a shake, pigeons are rats with wings any way.
Ohhhh I'm so scared. Spare me. My backyard = My rules. Don't like it? Too f***ing bad. Thanks for playing.
King David Aside from the illegality of killing protected wildlife, there's the added folly of dividing up the natural world into "good animals" and "bad animals" and eradicating them accordingly. Removing apex predators generally has a ripple effect on the food chain and ecosystem biodiversity. The effects can be surprising. For example, by removing hawks, you're likely having a negative impact on hummingbirds as well. www.audubon.org/news/why-hawk-hummingbirds-best-friend
I empathize with you. I know exactly how difficult it is to watch a dove, the symbol of peace, get attacked by a hawk, the aggresser and a symbol of war. Yes, I'm guilty of letting metaphors color my feelings and yes, I wish no one had to die - especially someone I've fed and enjoyed watching. The only way I can get through the fairly infrequent attacks is to know there is or will be a next and hungry babies nearby. Then again, let's not think about the dove's nest, now motherless. Sigh.
Legs are also thicker on the Cooper's. LATE!
birds do not become dependant, feeding birds puts them where we want them in our view so we can observe and enjoy. I see nothing unnatural about that. after all we are part of the "nature". many would say we are invaders, a cancer on the earth, that is besides the point considering we didn't come from mars or something. we have the capacity to help, enjoy them. this natural and unatural gets taken a bit to far. who decides what is natural and not? I enjoyed watching him hunt.
rose
Rose - sadistic!
When I spot a predator I pull my feeders for a few days and they leave.
I would welcome them...
Not sure why you "intervene"
@@oh_k8
Cats, feral and domestic, kill billions
of birds every year.
Yes, billions. Look it up, Audubon Society statistics.
why would you break it up? the hawk needs to eat to you know. that's why you have a bird feeder. far ALL types of birds to get food. even the carnivores LOL
Must be a young one because its hunting tactics are way off 😂.
A cooper hawk attack me
Caleb I'm glad it wasn't the other way around
a bird eating another bird at a bird feeder lol. using a bird feeder to attract small birds for hawks is a good strategy
Troll!