The Cooper's Hawk tends to remain close to forest cover where it can be seen darting through open forest, crossing clearings, or soaring over the forest canopy. Like all accipiters, it is a "sit and wait" predator that perches in a concealed place, then dashes out quickly to capture its prey. When hunting prey on the ground such as grouse, it courses low, alternating rapid wingbeats and glides, through open forest, using brush, hedgerows, and trees to conceal its approach. The Cooper's Hawk also hunts by soaring high, then stooping falcon-like on flying prey such as pigeons and bats. It hunts only during daylight hours. When attacking prey, it flies rapidly, then glides the last 12 to 15 feet (3.7 to 4.7 meters) before impact. It thrusts its pelvis and legs forward to increase body speed and shocking power at the point of impact as it brakes with its wings. It grasps prey with its needle-sharp talons, usually killing the prey on impact or grasping and releasing its grip repeatedly until the prey is dead. Prey is carried to a perch, where it is plucked and torn into pieces. The Cooper's Hawk eats the head first, then the viscera, and then the body meat. Occasionally the Cooper's Hawk eats carrion.
On sunny days it often soars in thermals, like larger hawks and eagles. During migration it uses thermals to gain altitude before gliding off. During active flight it flies with stiff, moderately strong wingbeats. When gliding down towards prey or a perch, it holds its wings level and wrists cocked forward. When soaring the wing is held straight.
In the fall, the Cooper's Hawk migrates between August and November, although some populations are resident. It tends to move as single birds and follow coastlines, lakeshores, and mountain ranges. Immatures tend to move south about one week earlier than adults. Migratory movements usually follow the passage of a low pressure system when birds take advantage of following winds. This hawk is most visible during migration when they can be found in almost any treed area. Migrants tend to avoid the Great Plains region, which has little forest cover. The return spring movement occurs from March through May.
The Cooper's Hawk is widely, but thinly distributed. Breeding home ranges for individuals in different habitats ranged from 988 to 4444 acres (400 to 1,800 hectares). Densities of breeding pairs have been estimated as one pair per 815 to 12,346 acres (330 to 5,000 hectares). In areas of high densities there can be one pair per 815 to 2099 acres (330 to 850 hectares). The maximum known lifespan in the wild is 12 years. Mortality rates are quite high in the first year, about 75 percent from all causes, then declining to about 35 percent annually thereafter. Of 136 birds banded as nestlings and recovered after death, the mean age was only 16.3 months.
Courtship behavior is not well described and is thought to be similar to other accipiters. Males establish territories, then try to attract females by soaring in broad circles over treetops with tail closed, undertail coverts flared, and wings held high above the back. Pairs soar together in thermals. Slow speed display flights occur where both birds fly slowly with exaggerated wingbeats interspersed with glides with the wings held in a dihedral.
ADAPTATIONS
Extreme sexual size dimorphism (females almost twice as heavy as males) may have evolved to increase food supplies available to pairs during the breeding season, as in the Sharp-shinned Hawk. The larger female tends to capture larger prey and the smaller male tends to capture smaller prey. In this way, mates do not compete for the same prey source, and can provide more food for their young.
This hawk is adapted for the quick pursuit of forest birds and mammals. Their short, powerful wings and long tail allow for speed and maneuverability in dense cover. The Cooper's Hawk is a "biomass maximizer" because it tends to capture larger prey than the average size of prey available to them in nature. Individuals can specialize in specific prey when that prey is abundant, for instance, Northern Bobwhite in Georgia, free-tailed bat in Texas, and lizards in California.
#Identify this bird of prey.;question\Q02\Q02.wav
P3ImageView
COHA\091686.bmp
COHA\091686b.bmp
Feeds mainly on small to medium-
√ÆÇÇÇÇÇ sized birds
ZïÆÇÇÇÇÇ #Identify this bird of prey.;question\Q02\Q02.wav
