As I was looking out the dining room windows a couple of hours ago, I saw a Cooper’s Hawk (Astur cooperii) fly to the ground. I grabbed my camera off the dining room table and went outside to the deck. At first, I thought the hawk had caught a mid-afternoon snack. As I began pressing the camera shutter button, the hawk started to move around, spreading its wings.
Why was it opening its wings on the ground? I thought it was mantling a prey. Generally, when a hawk catches a large prey, it will spread its wings over the prey as if to protect it from other predators. I continue capturing more images. At the computer, I found out there was no prey under the hawk’s claws.
An online search suggested this hawk was merely sunbathing. Hawks will do that after bathing, which I did not see in this instance. Sunbathing also occurs as part of feather maintenance (preening in the sun will keep their feather clean and waterproof), parasite control, and thermoregulation. Well, it was very hot outside. Maybe this hawk was trying to cool off.
These photos were taken in about a minute, from the first to the last. The hawk then took off to a nearby tree.
According to the American Bird Conservancy, the hawk is named after “the naturalist William Cooper, one of the founders of the New York Lyceum of Natural History (now the New York Academy of Sciences).”
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you might also be interested in others featuring Bird of the Week, Cooper’s hawk, Teravista, Texas, and Wildlife. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
Posted for Birds of the Week Invitation CXXII.
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Tra Italia e Finlandia
Simpatico! 😃
Egidio Leitao
Grazie.
Hammad Rais
Now, that’s something I don’t see everyday 🙂
Egidio Leitao
Neither do I. I was surprised, too.
SoyBend
Lucky you to see this bird sunbathing! They are frequent visitors to our yard, but I’ve never seen this behavior.
Egidio Leitao
They are wonderful to watch.
Rupali
Wow, it was a nice surprise and interesting information, Egidio.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Rupali. I’m happy you thought so.
Tranature - quiet moments in nature
Beautiful images Egídio, it does look like the bird is drying its wings in the sun 🌞 I’m also no longer seeing your posts in my reader, even though I am subscribed. I’ll try unsubscribing and then subscribing anew to see if that makes any difference 🙏
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Xenia. I’m sorry that WP is acting up. I do see you are subscribed to my blog. Thanks for that, too.
Steve Schwartzman
Animals do many things that people don’t understand. Even so, it’s impressive how many animal behaviors experts have learned to understand.
Egidio Leitao
Observation is key. If not for understanding, but at least to predict next moves. That is how I’ve been able to anticipate when a heron will catch something in the pond here. It’s simple, and yet fascinating.
solaner
very nice!
I also saw a couple of songbirds sunbathing. When I saw that for the first time, I assumed the bird were about to die.
btw. for some reason, you’re blog does not apear in the WordPress reader anymore although I’m still subscribed.
Egidio Leitao
Something is going on. I don’t know what is happening. You’re the fourth person who has been unable to see my blog in the Reader.
Amy
Great shot of this beautiful hawk!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Amy.
Anne Sandler
The Cooper’s hawk is a beautiful bird and I’m glad you had the chance to observe it. Great photos!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Anne.
shoreacres
I often see cormorants drying their wings, and I’ve seen great blue herons spreading their wings to cool, but I’ve never seen hawk behavior like this. What a special treat, and how very interesting.
Egidio Leitao
Linda, it was a special treat indeed. I was lucky to have witnessed that. The other day I saw one of these hawks bathing in the pond. It didn’t last long to allow me time to photograph it. I keep hoping I’ll photograph that one day.
margaret21
How exciting! It seems a really special experience to have witnessed this, and you have the photos to prove it. Thanks for sharing them.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Margaret. I love observing wildlife here.
I. J. Khanewala
Wonderful photos. I haven’t seen this behaviour at all. None of the photos show it preening. Maybe it was drying the feathers, as you suggest
Egidio Leitao
It was not preening. Although I had seen a similar hawk bathing in the pond, I did not see that this time. Maybe it bathed and came from another area. Thanks for your compliment.
Terri Webster Schrandt
How fun to see it enjoying the sun, Egidio! We have Coopers Hawks here too. Unfortunately they like to chase my neighbor’s chickens!
Egidio Leitao
And that’s why one of their common names is chicken hawk! Thanks for writing.
Terri Webster Schrandt
Yes!
Vicki
Thanks for sharing, Egidio.
Birds of Prey are something I never see, although fellow residents on the Nature reserve/river side of my apartment building have seen kestrels and other large birds.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for your comments, Vicki. I used to see these birds of prey from a far distance, generally flying way above. To have them come this close is a special treat.
Brad
Great photos and wonderful experience to have this beautiful hawk in the back yard!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Brad. Living and learning about these backyard friends.