I risked my life today, dangerously leaning way out of my open window several stories above the sidewalk. Why? Because I spotted another Cooper’s Hawk! So excited to share this with you! I’ve been keeping an eye out to capture some photos of these birds for some years now. I kept seeing them in the neighborhood, but because of the thick foliage, I can rarely get a good look before they fly out of sight. I’d sometimes wondered if I’d even really seen a hawk at all. But enough sightings convinced me that there is a rather healthy population round these parts. Remember the last photos I caught?
At first today, I thought there was only the hawk, so I started snapping photos. But then I realized, he’s just caught something. Yes, he’s eating his catch, a bird. Yikes! Can you believe I got such a great video?! Just outside my window?! I’m just nuts about nature!
If anyone thinks my identification is wrong, let me know. I’m no birder, but I’ve always got my handy-dandy Birds of North America nearby!
Inspired By Venice 
I have no doubt your ID is correct; sharp-shinned hawks look similar, but are smaller. Coopers have apparently nicely adapted to suburban, even urban, residential areas. Here in Milwaukee it is not uncommon to see them swooping between houses or across streets, at tree-level, searching for a tasty meal at bird feeders.
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All the birds at the bird feeders need to watch out around here! Yikes!
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Love such glimpses of nature. So Amazing. Animals, but also plants. They’re more intelligent than we think.
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I felt so lucky to catch this!
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I wonder if it might be a Peregrine Falcon? They have been nesting at the library for several years. There’s a falcon cam: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/falconcam but your video is much better!
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Oh my gosh! He does look like a Peregrine Falcon too! I thought I heard one of those screeching above the library when I was walking over to Whole Foods…perhaps making a meal of a pigeon? Thank you! Now I’ve got to consult my bird book again…
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Well, you aren’t the only one that’s nuts about nature! I am too! Yep, in fact, I consistently watch hawk videos on a daily basis, and whenever I see them consume their prey it always brings a great smile to my face! Anybody that thinks that’s not a Cooper’s hawk is obviously wrong! Also, that Cooper’s hawk is eating the prefect prey item, and by the looks of it that could be a dove. They do typically go for small to medium sized birds. Rodents and mammals are spared for the Red Tailed hawks.
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Poor dove! Oh no! Thank you for the identification! Happy birding!
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