Courting Coopers Hawks Mobbed by American Crows

[centrarchid]

Hawks here working out territories and cementing pair bonds. Nests are also being constructed by some. Day before yesterday saw something I do not see every day. Two courting Coopers Hawks that were being harassed by American Crows.



The male Coppers Hawk was soaring about 400 feet up while female was about 150 feet up. Male was showing cotton that I could see extending laterally from rump even when I was directly below. From my perspective the coloration was pinkish-yellow rather than white as it appears when looking at the display from side or rear. Female was not displaying cotton that I could even though I was much closer to her. Crows where mobbing both raptors fluffing their body feathers out making them appear fat as the approached hawks making a lower short duration growling caw which I have not heard before.

 

[WingsysRoost]

That's really interesting! I've seen hawks getting mobbed a few times before. It's still interesting to watch every time.

 

[Red Horse]

I saw a crow hanging out with what seemed like an orphaned juvenile turkey vulture (still had its black head and was small and gangly-looking). On the side of a road. No adult vultures around anywhere, it didn't look to be harassing the youngster or anything, no roadkill laying around so they weren't eating, and I've thought about that all week. Corvids are really interesting birds, it made me wonder if it was trying to help the baby.

 

[Knobby]

Just saw a hawk get tangled up in the chicken wire covering the top of my run. He was determined to get a meal, but thank God he couldn't get in. We have hawks, falcons and eagles in my neck of the woods.