Cooper's Hawk

Large Raptor Birds
Part 9

Cooper's Hawk

 

 

 This is the cooper's hawk. It is a medium sized hawk native to North American continent and found from southern Canada to northern Mexico. Like almost all raptors the male is smaller than the female.

 

The wingspan of a cooper's hawk is 62 to 94cm (24-37cm.)  Their average weight is 12-18oz for females and 16oz on average for the male cooper's hawk.  Sizes can vary from 14 to 20 inches long.

 

 

 

 

Cooper's hawk nests can be found in tops of trees.  Over a 2 week period of time a nest will reach 27 inches in diameter.  Surprisingly the pile of sticks is sometimes concealed very well and often can be mistaken for another critters nest. 

 

 

In each nest you will find 3-5 eggs. 

The clutch will hatch in 30-36 days.

 

 Chicks become independent around 8 weeks.  

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This hawk has been known to live 12 years in the wild; however, the oldest living hawk was recorded at 20 years and 4 months.

 Cooper's Hawk is another one of my favorite hawks.  They are fascinating to watch in flight and when they are soaring over fields or streams looking for their next hunt.
 

Here is our Web Cam Page for Links to view this bird.
Raptor Cams



Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Large Raptor Birds
Part 7

Swainson's Hawk

 

 

Named after William Swainson, this large hawk can be found along prairies and grasslands.

 

The Swainson's hawk can cover 15,000 miles (24,000km) during its migrations north.

A common color pattern for the adult hawk is dark brown plumage with a brown chest and a pale belly.

 

The nests of a swainson's hawk can contain 1-4 eggs that incubate from 34-35 days.

 

 

Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk

Sparrow Hawk

Large Raptor Birds
Part 6

 

The Sparrow Hawk

 

The sparrow hawk is also called the American kestrel. This little raptor is a falcon. 

 

 

 

The diet of a sparrow hawk consists of grasshoppers, lizards, mice, and small birds.

 The male sparrow hawk is no smaller than a robin.

 

This American Kestrel nests in trees, cavities of rocks, cliffs and/or caves.  Laying 3-7 eggs per nest, both male and female help incubate the eggs.  This bird extends all across North America and can be seen migrating south during winter seasons.  This falcon is a wonderful site to see.

 

 

 

 

 

Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk

Broad-Winged Hawk

Large Raptor Birds

Part 3

 Broad-Winged Hawk

The broad-winged hawks wing span is 74-100cm.  

 

 

They eat chipmunks, voles, shrews, even road kill.  These carnivores will eat just about anything making them a more adaptable raptor.

there voice sounds somewhere like pweeeeepweeeee.

 

 

 Broad-winged hawks can be spotted in all different regions of North America at different times of the year as well.  They love marshy areas, desolation and high cliffs for nesting grounds. 

 it is similar to the red-shouldered hawk.

Here is our Web Cam Page for Links to view this bird.
Raptor Cams

Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk

Red Tailed Hawk

Large Raptor Birds

Part 2

The Red Tailed Hawk

 

The most common hawk in North America is the red tailed hawk.  Throughout all the seasons you can see this hawk from anywhere in North America.  The red tailed hawk can be found on telephone poles, tops of trees, large cliff tops, along marshy areas and on the edge of open fields. 

 

The red tailed hawk will eat: rabbits, mice, voles, and any other food source they may find. (Like road kill.)

Being monogamous (having the same mate for life), the red tailed hawk will lay 1-5 eggs per year and often in the same nest used the year prior if safe.
 

The red tailed hawk has a large and beautiful wing span as you can see below.

 

 

 Click HERE to hear the different sounds of a red tailed hawk.

Buteo (red tailed hawk) is one neat raptor buzzard!

And that's what I learned about the red tailed hawk.

 

 

 

Here is our Web Cam Page for Links to view this bird.
Raptor Cams

Other Birds
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Broad- Winged Hawk
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sparrow Hawk
Swainson's Hawk