Raising Pirates: Cooper’s Hawks at the Nest

Cooper’s Hawks have nested nearby for the past two years. This summer they did not return to the same nest. They have visited the bird feeder to prey on Juncos and I have seen them in the woods, but they have, hopefully, nested in another location this year. I miss watching them at the nest. For the past two Julys I could hear Cooper’s Hawk calls and watch the young as they chased the adults, fed and grew to fly like the aerial pirates they are through the trees.

I have shared some of those photos here. I hope that they are successful in their nesting efforts this year, wherever they are.

Male early in spring

Female building the nest

Small young on the nest

Cooper’s Hawk Female on the nest with young

Female on nest with older young

just out of the nest

Cooper’s Hawk male on observation post

Female near the nest

Fledgling feeding

Fledgling calling

Older fledglings

all writing and photos copyright Joanne Siderius