The Cooper’s Hawk has done very well in Toronto, partly because of all the backyard bird feeders. This canny raptor is supposed to be a woodland hunter and denizen, but it patrols our ravines, urban streets, and suburban yards. Like many other cities, we provide lots of prey, like rodents and other birds, plus there are many spots to use to perch upon and to scan for their prey.
Over the years, I have watched them hunt, whether in our former backyard or in parks around the city. I am always impressed by their skill and stealth. They may swoop in to grab unsuspecting prey. But, I have seen them chase their prey on foot. A memorable example of this type of hunting was when I saw a Cooper’s Hawk fly into an evergreen, chasing after a squirrel. It missed and the squirrel ran around the trunk. The hawk ran around the trunk after it. The squirrel escaped that time.
In our yard, the Cooper’s Hawk would use our house as a cover to hide its attack. It would fly low over the roof top and then speed up as it dropped towards the feeder. The doves, woodpeckers, and song birds would scatter in a panic. Sometimes, one of these birds would hit a window and be stunned. It almost seemed like that was the hawk’s plan, as it picked up its victim.
Mourning Doves were a favoured prey item. At the start of winter, the yard would be full of them. By spring, there would be only one or two left. I thought the doves stayed very still when not feeding. I remember watching one, resting on the limb of our apple tree. The only movement I could see was the blink of its eye. That was enough for the local Cooper’s Hawk, which neatly plucked it off the branch. Too bad, the doves couldn’t employ the hiding skills of a Downy Woodpecker. It was on the underside of a branch, when the hawk flew into the apple tree one afternoon. The woodpecker froze and the hawk flew off, never noticing the little bird.
The most interesting example of their hunting style, which I observed, was during another winter. A small flock of House Sparrows was feeding in our yard. The hawk flew into the yard and they all took shelter in a bare bush. The hawk landed on top of the bush, forcing them to move to the lower part of the bush. Then, it dropped to the ground and threw itself against the bush. One sparrow broke from the safety of the bush, with the hawk right behind it. The rest of the sparrows flew off in the other direction.
For some people, having a raptor in their yard is undesirable, while I have always found the relationship between hunter and prey fascinating. I’m glad the Cooper’s Hawks have opened up that world for me.
Note: Picture of Cooper’s Hawk at top of blog by Domaine Maizerets, posted to Wikipedia Commons, a royalty-free site for information.
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