what species of hawk is this? southern Ontario (1 Viewer)

[BruceTrailHiker2011]

Hi. I just saw this hawk in our backyard this evening. I saw a Red Tailed Hawk in our backyard a few days ago - maybe this is a redtail too, but this looks smaller and slightly different in colour. Can anyone confirm what kind it is? Thanks!

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[aeshna5]

This is an Accipiter rather than Buteo. I think this one is a Cooper's Hawk.

 

[lockbreeze926]

Yes, Cooper's Hawk. As noted above, it's an accipiter and a Cooper's by overall size, tail (long, rounded with as broad white tip), pale nape.

 

[Butty]

Cooper's hawk: crown darker than rest of upperparts, pale sides to hindneck. It's impossible to judge size here.

 

[BruceTrailHiker2011]

Thanks everyone! Now my next question is, does anyone know why it flew to the ground like that? Is that common behaviour? I've never seen a hawk do that unless it was eating something. Obviously it looked very healty and alert, i was just surprised it would walk around on the ground like that.

 

[nartreb]

Thanks everyone! Now my next question is, does anyone know why it flew to the ground like that? Is that common behaviour? I've never seen a hawk do that unless it was eating something. Obviously it looked very healty and alert, i was just surprised it would walk around on the ground like that.

Cooper's hawks prey almost exclusively on small birds. It looks to me like your bird started an aggressive run at something that was behind the post (or whatever it is that's blocking the camera), then slowed and swerved while near the ground. Maybe there was a small bird perched on or under that low bush, but the hawk decided it'd missed its chance. Maybe the hawk was making a blind run based on noise (they do that, it lets them catch their prey by surprise without being seen), or maybe it even was confused by a falling leaf or a reflection. In any event, it decided to rest on the ground for a few seconds to catch its breath (and lighten its load) before promptly returning to a safer perch with better views.

Note that when a hawk of this type strikes a bird mid-air, it generally doesn't hang on to the prey. The stunned prey drops to the ground and the hawk picks it up from there. So going to the ground briefly is pretty normal.

 

[BruceTrailHiker2011]

Cooper's hawks prey almost exclusively on small birds. It looks to me like your bird started an aggressive run at something that was behind the post (or whatever it is that's blocking the camera), then slowed and swerved while near the ground. Maybe there was a small bird perched on or under that low bush, but the hawk decided it'd missed its chance. Maybe the hawk was making a blind run based on noise (they do that, it lets them catch their prey by surprise without being seen), or maybe it even was confused by a falling leaf or a reflection. In any event, it decided to rest on the ground for a few seconds to catch its breath (and lighten its load) before promptly returning to a safer perch with better views.

Note that when a hawk of this type strikes a bird mid-air, it generally doesn't hang on to the prey. The stunned prey drops to the ground and the hawk picks it up from there. So going to the ground briefly is pretty normal.

amazing! thanks so much for this info. I've often seen Red tailed hawks - one just caught something in our backyard a few days ago, but this is the first time I've had a verified Cooper's Hawk sighting. The Cooper's Hawk is back there right now. I can see it perched in a tree from my window as I type. Second time I've seen it today.