An update on the hawks

Do you remember last week when I wrote that I had heard a hawk that kept on screeching? I had thought that since it was acting kind of strange, and it had landed along the fence line, that maybe it was my husband who was trying to tell me to come take pictures of the bluebirds. It was kind of a kooky theory, but that’s me sometimes.

There are two hawks, possibly three, and from what I’ve read and learned, they are fledglings. I believe their parents may still be feeding them because from what I’ve observed, they really don’t know how to hunt yet.

They fly from tree to tree around the property and screech. All day long.

 

I believe they are Cooper’s Hawks. They are a little larger than the Sharp-Shinned Hawk and their tails are more round. I saw one of them in the dogwood tree while talking to my sister on the phone yesterday. I told her to hold on, I’d be right back. Then I grabbed the camera that happened to be sitting right there, and snapped the photo you see above.

You don’t hunt at the top of the dogwood tree with all the bird feeders down below and fully announce your position by screeching. So I know this bird is not hunting. He is calling out his location to his parents so that they can locate him for the next meal.

You birders out there ~ if I am mistaken, please let me know. I am trying to learn.

 

I found another doing this in one of the tall trees on the front yard.

I read online that the parents will teach their little ones to hunt, and will continue to bring them food until they learn to do it on their own. The female is bigger and, accordingly, is able to catch bigger prey for their youngsters. I thought the birds were calling to each other, saying “here I am” but I believe they are screeching so that their parents know where to find them with dinner. And lunch and breakfast and every snack in-between because this goes on all day long.

Could be worse, though. Could be dirt bikes. Or children screaming. Horns blaring. Guns going off. I’ll take this sound.

 

Another taken from the window – in the middle of a screech.

 

And in flight.

Last week, I saw four of them all flying together. Now I am assuming it was the parents and the two fledglings. They were high up. Maybe it was flight lessons . . .

 

I took this before I left for work early this morning.

He was back in the dogwood tree doing his thing.

 

And then this afternoon before dinner, I heard them screeching in tandem and it seemed like it was coming from the same tree. This was different because they’re usually almost on opposite ends of the property. I am not sure if they are fighting each other or just tussling here. According to the Cornell Ornithology website, this aggression may be a way for them to hone their fighting skills. But if food is scarce, it may arise from competition for it.

They are still out there. Screeching. I’ll keep you posted . . .