Click on any photo to expand it.
A juvenile Cooper's hawk, barely more than a fledgling, moves about while trying to protect his meal from the photographer. Notice around the middle of this sequence of still shots that he drops a small portion of his food and tries to figure out what happened to it.
One of the adults removes the pieces of eggshell soon after each hatch. This large piece, found under nest tree, may have broken as the hawk flew from the nest. The membrane was still moist and pliable, evidence that the shell was retrieved soon after hatch. The egg is very close to the size of a hen egg.
Hawks spend a lot of time preening. This adult male reaches around to his preen gland (uropygial gland), located at the base of his tail, takes oil from the gland with his beak and surrounding feathers, and spreads the oil all over the feathers of his body. This, in addition to the structure of the feathers, helps to keep him water-proof.
A fledgling stalks his sibling with the intent of stealing his meal. Or perhaps to reclaim it? Will he succeed?
Random photos for your enjoyment!
Not all Cooper's hawks migrate to the warm South in Winter, as evidenced by this adult dining on a mourning dove in the snows of southwestern Ontario. Photos taken by SlowTurning.
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HEN EGG VS COOPER'S HAWK EGG
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SMOOTH EXTERIOR
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MEMBRANE
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ABOUT 1.5" X 1.9"
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Newly formed ear coverts puff out, giving the young hawk a comical appearance.
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A passage sub-adult in full defensive posture
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Enlarge this photo and find the adult female (Hint: Look for her red eye).
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A nestling 28 days old shows no fear as s/he hops to nest rim.
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