All winter I have noticed feather remains of songbirds (cardinals, towhees, white-crowned sparrows, English house sparrows and starlings) in and around the plants serving as daytime cover for my free-ranging flock. During the same interval three chickens, two roosters that kept going down to visit with hens in coops and one pullet that survived a dog mauling but walked with noticeable limp, were lost to hawk(s). When I was out observing the flock noticed they could distinguish hawk species. Red-shouldered hawks they pretty much ignored but red-tailed hawks and what I suspect was as light phase ferruginous hawk got the flock all riled up and they would quickly move to cover. The latter bird I suspect took both roosters as it came calling and attempting on the flock when they were in area where roosters where caught. None of the previously mentioned hawks take songbirds on a regular basis so somebody else was about. I have been seeing Coopers Hawk flying through area very early in morning and just before sundown. This morning heavy over cast so Cooper came late and stayed. It was a female (I think juvenile). It was chasing songbirds hard and came through three times within an hour. Attempts were on American goldfinches which should be below the Coopers hawk pay scale. The easier prey where hiding in dense honey suckle and multi-floral rose. During this time the hawk would fly within 20 feet of chicken flock at maybe 4 feet above ground chasing the songbirds, ultimately catching one. The chickens clearly saw the Coopers hawk but did not even move to cover and some continued feeding. For this to be, the chickens must be seeing the hawk on a regular basis without being attacked. Overall, it looked like hawk was taking advantage of chickens as cover like Coopers will do with deer and humans. Coopers will follow large animals through woods and pounce on birds that I assume are distracted enough by large critters to make hunting for hawk easier. I would not have thought chickens could serve same purpose. Mind you, same hawk will be a pain when chicks are on scene. The chickens will raise a ruckus when Cooper starts eyeing their bitties. This is going to be an interesting production season.
