Cooper’s Hawk
Many a feeder-watcher has been either horrified or fascinated by the raids of Cooper’s hawks. Perhaps you’ve been there: watching cardinals and other songbirds nibbling the sunflowers, and suddenly, POW! Like greased lightning a large feathered streak barrels into the yard, bushwhacking the small birds. Songbirds flee madly in all directions, but the combative avian missile locks onto a victim and explodes into it. Little beyond a puff of feathers is left behind, and the hawk retreats to feast on fresh meat.
Knowledge of the Cooper’s hawk’s history may help mitigate for the damage done to your songbirds. Until fairly recently, these interesting raptors were vilified as “chicken hawks” and wanton killers of “valuable” birds. Persecution became intense enough that by the mid-20th century, Cooper’s hawks had become rare or absent from many regions, including much of Ohio. Another factor contributing to declines was pesticides such as DDT, which affected their ability to reproduce.
Enactment of laws to protect wild birds, and bans on harmful chemicals has allowed hawks like the Cooper’s to rebound. Today this species is plentiful, and has adapted well to suburbia. Because of its ability to co-exist with people, and penchant for whacking birds at the feeder, more Ohioans may be familiar with the Cooper’s hawk than any other bird of prey.
Cooper’s hawks are structurally distinctive. They are one of three species of “bird hawks,” technically known as accipiters. Agility is a key to their success, and accipiters have short rounded wings and a long rudder-like tail that allows for pursuit in close, wooded quarters. Adult Cooper’s are slate gray above and barred with orangish-red below; young birds are brown above and heavily streaked with brown below.
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. If you believe this, don’t look into a Cooper’s hawk’s peepers. To say these birds look fierce is an understatement, and much of their savage appearance stems from the glaring yellow eyes. Wild and fearless, the hawk’s stare must paralyze prey with dread. It should. Cooper’s hawks are a songbird’s grim reaper incarnate, a feathered ball of testosterone that lives for the kill.
But that’s nature. Predator and prey. By human standards these relationships sometimes seem violent and ferocious; unthinkably savage. But without a balanced corps of predators, the prey would soon overwhelm us, and they in turn would tip the ecological scales out of balance.
Cold weather means more birds at the feeders, and more Cooper’s hawks strafing in to make meals of the seed-eating crowd. Next time you see one in action, try to appreciate the hawk for what it is: one of nature’s most highly evolved predators, just doing its job.
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