Stanley Park Ecology Society - Programs- Urban Wildlife

Species

The flying cross +

Cooper’s hawks will catch a bird with their feet and squeeze constantly until it is dead
It has been known to drown its prey by holding it underwater until it dies
The Cooper’s hawk specializes in eating birds and is built for fast flight
23% of researched hawks had healed fractures in their chest bones
The Cooper’s hawk appears long-necked in flight and is referred to by birdwatchers as the "flying cross"
This bird was named after William Cooper, one of the founders of the American Museum of Natural History in New York

Adult hawks typically reach 15-20 inches in length
They are characterized by a dark grey or brown back, reddish white under-parts, and a long, rounded tail
These birds capture prey from cover or while whipping through vegetation, relying completely on the element of surprise

A Cooper's hawk enjoying a meal
(Photo by Sandy McRuer)

The Cooper’s hawk hunts mainly on mid-sized birds, small mammals, lizards, frogs, snakes, or large insects
They perch in trees overlooking a group of small birds, then swoop down, scattering the other birds and capturing one in flight

In the late 1940’s / 1950’s the Cooper’s Hawk population was declining largely due to DDT and pesticides
This bird is starting to adapt to breeding in urban areas, where scientists hope the population will increase