Pigeons spot coopers for the first time

[tacothechicken]

So we have a single resident coopers in the nieborhood who likes to pass through our yard and has been absent for the last few months I've had my pigeons! Well just now the birds were hanging out in the pear tree across from their hutch and the cooper winged it across the yard. Not hunting but just passing through like he does normally. The birds obviously took off and hid even though they HAD ALREADY BEEN HIDDEN! Now I have the one bird who was in the hutch, obliviousy hanging out on the roof but I didn't see the birds direction when they left(I was around the corner of house) how long generally do you have to wait before your birds return? They were full on food and water but it like 85 degrees F here where it's usually 70 tops so I assume they'll come back when thirst takes over.

 

[cavemanrich]

If they do not come back before it gets dark,,,,,,,,,, then most likely will return in the morning. Pigeons do not seem to do much flying when dark/night.
Your birds do not assume they were hidden. When they seen the hawk, the hawk also seen them. Hawks have SUPERIOR VISION. BTW.
I have had pigeons scared off by a Hawk, during mid-afternoon, and they did not return until the next morning. Often times some did not return at all.
They may have gotten lost, or captured. I never did see a direct hawk capture BTW. (I know it certainly occurs) I have Red Tail hawks around my area. My understanding, is that Cooper Hawks are somewhat faster/swifter. Have not seen one of those around my place.
WISHING YOU BEST...................................

 

[tacothechicken]

@cavemanrich good to know! Luckily all but my youngest bird showed up by 8:40 but the missing boy should know his way around the nieborhood by now as he's been doing flights whith the rest for around a month and keeping up fine. If he doesn't return by morning I can only hope he managed to get lost and joined up whith the ferals down the road :/ and yes coopers are much smaller and faster than a red tail, like a larger low flying peregine almost is how I see them ( they're like a bullet flying through the yard, kinda takes a second to realize what you saw). They are a huge songbird and squirrel eaters and have made attempts to take swallows and starlings from our yard many a time when passing through(how our pigeons spotted him). Usually our crows and ravens scare them away but this one bird has always been a constant passerby.