In a message dated 12/13/02 1:16:56 PM Central Standard Time, jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx writes: > I would think it very doubtful that a full grown, adult > female (largest of the species) Cooper's Hawk can > carry much over 8 ounces of weight. A male might > not be able to lift more than about 5 ounces. Wallace, Sometimes, Nature lies in wait just to turn all of our preconceived ideas topsy-turvy. I had the privilege of seeing what I thought to be a male Cooper's knock a Rock Dove from the air one day. That alone was a wake up call. I turned the truck around and stationed myself so I could watch the proceedings. I even have a shot of the bird mantling its kill. The dove appears to be as large as the hawk. Then a young kid approached the bird that was sitting in a 2-3 foot swell beside the road. I thought the bird would relinquish its prey but then the most amazing thing happened. They bird took to the air with the Rock Dove, lifted clear of the ground and up out of the depression and then over the slightly higher road and down a hill. Granted the bird did not get over a foot or two off the ground but from where it started to the crest of the road bed was 30 feet or so and it then glided and flapped down the hill for a couple of hundred feet and out of sight. Needless to say I had a new found respect for the carrying ability of accipiters. Every once in a while, when I'm out, Mother Nature gives me a dumb slap in the back of the head and says "pay attention." Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL' COOT / TLBA Bartlett Tenn. =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================