When I returned from buying the Sunday paper at the corner store yesterday, I was amused to see what I thought was the neighbor’s Chihuahua digging in the lawn of our apartment courtyard. I didn’t have my contact lenses in, though, and clearly my glasses need a new prescription. Upon ascending the stairs to my own apartment, it became apparent the little “dog” was actually an adult male Cooper’s hawk plucking feathers from a pigeon it had just killed.

Here in Tucson, Arizona, anyway, Cooper’s hawks have not only become tolerant of urban sprawl, they have exploited it to the fullest. They are not at all shy, and frequently perch on the ground, low branches, fences, and other places where they can easily ambush less-vigilant birds. It can be truly startling to flush one of them from under foot.

What was disappointing in this particular instance was not the death of a common pigeon, but the fact that no one else in the complex of apartments seemed to even take notice of the drama unfolding right there before them. This was not early in the morning, either. The hawk was on the kill, or nearby, from eleven AM until at least 12:30 PM. During that time, at least one gentleman, on his cell phone, ventured out of his downstairs apartment, and another person, opposite of the action, was outside in front of their own apartment. Neither took note of the bird and its prey as far as I could tell.

What a pity that more people don’t appreciate the wild animals in their midst. Instead, we complain about the coyotes prowling around in the pre-dawn hours when some folks walk their dogs, the bugs in the swimming pool, the javelinas rooting through the garden. Ok, so we did have a rabid bobcat a couple blocks away a few years ago, but that was truly an aberration.

I noticed that the hawk was banded, as looking through my binoculars I could see the shiny “bracelet” on its leg. I’ll have to find out the history of this individual so I can properly introduce myself the next time he appears.

Tags: Cooper's Hawk Pigeon Predator Prey Tucson Arizona USA

Bookmark: