While living in Ohio a few years ago, I was hiking the Dripping Rock Trail at Highbanks Metropark late one afternoon in the late Summer when I startled a Cooper's Hawk on the ground on the side of the trail. As it flew up, I noticed that it was carrying a Gray Squirrel in its talons. It flew over to and perched on a log, and as I watched for several minutes, it proceeded to consume the squirrel starting at the back of the head. The area from which the Hawk initially flew up was where I noted a family of Gray Squirrels during the Summer. Based on the slightly smaller size of the squirrel, it appeared that the Cooper's Hawk had nabbed one of the squirrels born that year.
Rob Lowry
Carson City, NV (formerly Powell, Ohio)
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Heck <[log in to unmask]>
To: OHIO-BIRDS <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thu, Jan 19, 2012 9:39 am
Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Hawk attempt at squirrel
Last week, we had a Cooper's Hawk and a Gray Squirrel sitting within about
ive feet of each other on the railing of our backyard deck. The squirrel
as munching on some bits of food and seemed to be keeping an eye on the
awk, but did not appear especially nervous. The hawk watched the squirrel
n what I can only describe as a desultory manner. (Yes, my descriptions of
oth animals' behavior are highly anthropomorphic!) What does seem obvious
s that the squirrel did not feel very threatened by the presence of the
awk. I should note that the hawk appeared by size to be a female; pretty
ig for a Cooper's.
There really was no significant interaction; the squirrel kept eating, the
awk looked around, and within a few minutes they went their separate ways.
Bill Heck
> On another note, I saw the most interesting thing that day down the
street
> from my house: A Cooper's Hawk had grabbed a Gray Squirrel and had it
> pinned to the ground. I was able to stop and watch this epic
struggle. The
> hawk was not tearing at the squirrel -- just holding it down while it
> fought back. Finally the hawk tried to lift off with it and couldn't
-- so
> dropped back down. After about another minute of looking around, the
hawk
> squawked and flew off without the squirrel. At that instant, a Red
Tail hit
> the squirrel (I didn't see it until it hit) and rolled it -- but didn't
grab
> it. The squirrel, no doubt wondering if this day could get any worse,
sort
> of ran/staggered to some bushes by this house and went up into them.
> Meanwhile after the missed hit, the Red Tail perched in a Pin Oak about
20 feet
> from me and the Cooper's flew back into a Crabapple about 75 feet away,
> with both watching the bushes. After about 10 more minutes of them
watching,
> the Red Tail flew off and then I drove off. Never saw a Coopers try to
> grab a full grown Gray Squirrel before -- anyone seen this? I know they
> take Chipmunks and probably those small Red Squirrels, but a full grown
Gray?
>
> Paul Graham
> Worthington
>
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______________________________________________________________________
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Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at
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--
ill Heck
______________________________________________________________________
Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
ur thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
dditional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
ttp://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
end questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
______________________________________________________________________
Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
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