Back-yard surprise

 

We've never seen this guy before, but all the birds in the neighbourhood knew he was bad news. Photo by John Denniston.

We’re used to a certain set of characters in our back yard – Steller’s jays, Northern Flickers, robins, crows, hummingbirds and LBJs (little brown jobs) – all congregating and quarrelling around the bird feeders and bird baths.

A couple of days ago, we were surprised by something altogether new – a big, substantial bird with a hooked bill, a glittering eye and a patient, brooding air. Barely moving, it sat for more than an hour on a mossy branch of the apple tree, focused on our bird feeders, waiting, waiting.

For what? Clearly not a turn at the dangling suet, the seed cylinder, or even the bird bath, which were all deserted and his for the taking. It took us awhile to figure out our visitor was not looking for bird food, but birds as food. It was a raptor, which the neighbourhood birds knew before we did. And fled.

When our regular birds timidly began showing up again, we didn’t know what to do. Who had priority? We didn’t want a backyard massacre, but maybe the newcomer was really hungry. Could we sacrifice a sparrow or two? As it turned out, we didn’t have to worry. John’s camera scared it off, and nobody died.

We learned later it was a Cooper’s Hawk, also known as a chicken hawk because it likes meaty, medium-sized birds like chickens and pigeons. Also bats and squirrels. Our hummers and LBJs were likely safe.

Cooper’s Hawks are fairly common in urban areas, according to the bird websites, and known for their “ability to hunt large and evasive prey using extremely well-developed agility.”  They squeeze their prey to death with powerful talons, or hold them underwater until they die. 

If you want to attract them to your yard, here’s what to do: Set up a bird feeder.

https://birdfeederhub.com/facts-about-coopers-hawks/