This Is My Backyard Bird

2012-02-12T10:07:00.000-08:00

This is a Coopers Hawk. It was photographed on 1-26-11 on East Palmer Boulevard in Sarasota Florida, sitting on cable lines above a sidewalk. People below the hawk didn't seem to worry it at all. This was the best shot I could get because of the hawk being mostly in the shade.

You know, the more I look at this bird, the more I like it. I mean this is one fantastic looking animal. Strength. Confidence. That is what it projects. It is just an amazing bird.

First, I had no idea what kind of backyard bird this was when I did this blog. So I emailed the Cornell Lab of Ornithology with my question. Promptly, I received a reply from Anne Hobbs with an answer. A special thank you to her for the help. So if anyone has any questions about birds, you now know who to ask.

This is a first year Red-shouldered Hawk. An East Coast Version. A common forest-dwelling Hawk of the East and California, this bird favors woodlands near water. It is perhaps the most vocal American Hawk.

The Red-shouldered Hawk is divided into five sub-species. The four eastern forms contact each other, but the West Coast birds are separated from the others by 1000 miles. The northern form is the largest. The form in very southern Florida is the palest, having a grey head and having very faint barring on the chest.

Although the American Crow often mobs the Red-shouldered Hawk, sometimes the relationship is not so one-sided. They may chase each other and steal food from each other, they may also attack a Great Horned Owl and join forces to chase the Owl out of the Hawk's territory.

By the time they are five days old, nestling Red-shouldered Hawks can shoot their feces over the edge of their nest. Bird poop on the ground is a sign of an active nest.

The Great Horned Owl often takes Red-shouldered Hawks, but occasionally turns the tables. While a Red-shouldered Hawk was observed chasing a Great Horned Owl, its mate took a young Owl out of its nest and ate it.

The food of this bird consists of small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and crayfish.

My Backyard Squirrel

The squirrels love the fence in my back yard. They are always very busy. It's also funny when they are playing and rolling around. I was able to snap a photo of one of these critters.

So in closing, if you are fortunate to have a backyard bird, just enjoy the moment, and hopefully get some great pictures.

A Backyard Bird

This Is My Backyard Bird