[Umpqua Birds] Cooper's Hawk display flight

From: Mark Hamm <mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 23:55:42 -0500
On our short Saturday outing that Jay and Matt have already posted about, I 
wanted to mention some raptors we saw. I am a notorious 'upgrader', I always 
check out starlings at the tops of trees because they might be Merlins.
a raven might be an eagle, etc. I don't just look to rule out the upgrade, I 
assume it is the upgrade until I can rule it out. Matt Hunter finds this 
amusing. Towards the end of our walk Matt told me (with a grin on his face) to 
look up in a nearby tree, sure enough it was a Merlin. He let me be the hero 
and announce it to the group. It was a first for many in the group. Thanks Matt.

Soon after the Merlin left, a hawk flew by. Some of us thought it was a 
Coopers, long tail, wide wings. I think Voyla asked Matt what he thought. Matt 
gave a quick glance and said Harrier. We all watched the hawk some more. I 
thought I saw a white patch near the base of the tail, Yeah a Harrier perhaps. 
But Matt after further looking, began to have some doubts. He said it was 
acting very strange. It was doing slow deep flaps then gliding in a circle, it 
kept its tail folded up the whole time.
Below is a description of Cooper's Hawk breeding behavior. It fits what we saw 
pretty closely (you can read more at the link below the quote). Note the 
description of the exposing of the under tail coverts. I think it was Voyla 
that termed this 'showing its pantaloons'. This is what I mistook for the large 
white patch at the upper base of the tail. The pantaloons description will help 
me remember this. Thanks Voyla. Hopefully Matt will post his pictures of this 
bird.
So if you see a hawk with an unusual flight pattern AND its underwear showing, 
you can be confident you are seeing an amorous Cooper's Hawk. Look for its 
mate, though we didn't see one this time.


"Cooper’s hawks are monogamous, and many pairs mate for life. Pairs breed once 
per year and raise one brood per breeding season. The male chooses the nest 
site, but the female does the majority of the nest-building. Courtship 
activities include stylized flights with the wings held in a deep arc. Cooper’s 
hawks are territorial, and defend a territory around the nest.

Courtship activities include flight displays. For example, the male of a pair 
will fly around the female exposing his expanded under tail coverts to her. The 
male raises his wings high above the back and flies in a wide arc with slow, 
rhythmic flapping. Typically these display flights occur on bright, sunny days 
in midmorning, and begin with both birds soaring high on thermals. The male and 
female may both participate in courtship flights. The male begins by diving 
toward the female, followed by a very slow-speed chase. Both birds move with a 
slow and exaggerated wingbeats alternated with glides in which the wings are 
held at a dihedral angle and the white under tail coverts are conspicuously 
spread."

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Accipiter_cooperii/

I have one more comment. I forgot my binoculars. Jay Walters loaned me an extra 
pair of his. Nonetheless, I decided to make an extra effort to bird by ear. I 
think it helped. Matt suggested maybe we should have some blindfolded trips! 
Sounds interesting.

Mark Hamm
[Umpqua Birds] Cooper's Hawk display flight

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