Reviewing Hawks in my Backyard

Young Cooper's Hawk

I have always enjoyed watching the birds at the feeders in our backyard and have been told to watch out for Hawks because they can kill the birds.  Because of this, I had never really studied much about Hawks and just considered them a bird to avoid.  Recently I have photographed some Hawks in and around our backyard and now I have a new appreciation for the fascinating creatures that they are.  Up in the air they always looked menacing, but when seen up close in a photograph I realized what beautiful details they have.  In this post I will share with you some information on two of the Hawks I have photographed in our yard.  The first is the Cooper's Hawk and the second is the Red-Shouldered Hawk. 

Cooper's Hawk

I have seen Cooper's Hawks or at least what I think are Cooper's Hawks fairly often in our area.  The photo above was taken on our back fence.  It was identified by several people on bird sites online as a young Cooper's Hawk, so I feel fairly confident with that identification.  Sometimes I find hawks colorings are so similar, especially with the differences in adults and juveniles that I am not sure of my identification.  I wrote a review on one of my favorite bird books several months back.  It is the book I used to find the information on the Cooper's Hawk.  Here is a link to that review. What it's Like to be a Bird

Here is what it has to say about the bird.

• It is a medium-sized hawk at about 16 inches long.
• They often keep watch at feeders and then swoop in low hoping to surprise the flock.
• They target mid-sized birds that are slower flyers such as doves and starlings.  These birds are easier for them to grab with their talons.
• The juveniles have vertical brown streaks on their chests with brown back while the adults will have tight horizontal reddish barring on their chests with gray crowns and backs.  Both have barred tails that are rounded at the tips.

Here are a couple photos that I think fit these descriptions.

 Red-Shouldered Hawk

The photo above is a Red-Shouldered Hawk.  I captured it sitting on the satellite dish on the roof of the house behind ours.  I zoomed in and quickly took this shot before he flies away and then I carefully check my camera settings and tried to wait for him to turn his head, so I get him looking my way.  Before I could get another shot, he took off and I was able to capture him in flight.  I am particularly proud of this shot. It was the first time I had seen one of these hawks.

I looked him up in my guide to backyard birds and found the following information.

• It is a fairly common, medium to large hawk.
• The adult has reddish colored upperwing coverts and also densely barred reddish underparts. The wings and tail are dramatically barred in black and white.
• The juvenile has brown-streaked underparts and a dark tail with many pale bands.
• They make a loud screaming sound that sounds like (KEE-ahh) which is given in a series.
• They are widespread and found in well-watered woodlands and suburban areas with nearby wood lots. 
• They are a perch hunter and feed on frogs, snakes, lizards and small mammals.
• Their nests are located high in trees and are made of bulky sticks.

Here is a link to the book where I got my information.

 National Geographic Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America, 2nd EditionCheck Price

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