Cooper’s Hawk | Juvenile with Prey Cooper’s Hawks feed mainly on smaller birds captured in flight. They often stalk feeders while hunting for prey. In this image, the juvenile Cooper’s Hawk is still feasting on its prey; just a few feet from the bird feeder. The prey looks like it might have been a sparrow. For the whole story with all images, see Cooper’s Hawk | a 7 Image Story.
Cooper’s Hawk | Immature Posing Recently, my Cooper’s Hawk sightings along my walkabout trail seem to have increased. Although the Cooper’s Hawk is smaller than the Red-tailed Hawk, their sleek build and smooth plumage give them a more refined look. For the whole story with all images, see Cooper’s Hawk | a 7 Image Story.
Cooper’s Hawk | Immature on the Trail With the leaves off the trees, it’s a bit easier to see wildlife. This immature Cooper’s Hawk is not about to fly, but rather just rearranging his feathers a bit. For the whole story with all images, see Cooper’s Hawk | a 7 Image Story.
Cooper’s Hawk | Adult Garden Hunting This adult Cooper’s Hawk appears to have been hunting in a small flower garden. The remains of its prey are just off camera near the house. For the whole story with all images, see Cooper’s Hawk | a 7 Image Story.
Cooper’s Hawk | Adult Head Turn Check Six has a whole different meaning if you happen to be a hawk. It’s more reality than salutation. For the whole story with all images, see Cooper’s Hawk | a 7 Image Story.
Cooper’s Hawk | Adult Portrait This adult Cooper’s Hawk posed calmly on a snowy tree branch as light snow fell softly on its wings. For the whole story with all images, see Cooper’s Hawk | a 7 Image Story.
Cooper’s Hawk | a 7 Image Story The Cooper’s Hawk is a medium-sized hawk with rounded wings and a long tail. Several Red-tailed Hawks and a few Cooper’s Hawks call this area home. To me, the immature Cooper’s Hawk looks like a Red-tailed Hawk from a distance. Most images I capture of Hawks are at a distance. A Cooper’s Hawk really blends with their surroundings make it difficult to spot. By carrying my camera on virtually all my walkabouts, I occasionally get to capture a close up. Sometimes you go to the image, sometimes the image comes to you, and sometimes the image just happens.
Cooper’s Hawks fly with a flap-flap-glide pattern. One of their attack maneuvers is to fly low to the ground, then up and over an obstruction to surprise their prey on the other side. Why do they need attack maneuvers? They eat mostly other medium sized birds like Starlings, Mourning Doves, and Robins. Backyard bird feeders will sometimes attract Cooper’s Hawk. Near feeders, they will swoop down from above the feeding birds. They are quiet, nimble, stealthy and fast. Catching smaller birds in flight comes naturally to them. Cooper’s Hawks can also fly through dense woods to capture their prey.
Capturing nice bird images can be challenging even for bigger birds like the Cooper’s Hawk. The Nikon 1 V3 with a Nikon AFS 70-300mm lens with its 2.7 crop factor, which becomes a 189-810mm lens, makes bird photography possible for amateurs like me who do not specialize in photographing birds. Of course, the image quality will not be nearly as good as with the 400mm-600mm expensive lens, but it’s still possible to capture very nice bird images.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Cooper’s Hawk.
Click any image below for a slide show.
Cooper’s Hawk on the Trail Cooper’s Hawks are common in this area. Still, I usually see them along the trail in late fall, early winter.
