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Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter Cooperii)

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Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter Cooperii) Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Deaver D. Armstrong Macomb Co., MI. 6/29/2009 © Joan Tisdale (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II) When it cruises through a backyard filled with Distribution Until the mid 1900s, the Cooper’s Hawk was birdfeeders, the stealthy Cooper’s Hawk scatters regularly shot for its reputation as a chicken the feeding birds and may even pick off a predator (Bent 1937, Kielb 1994a, Curtis et al. Mourning Dove or a Northern Cardinal. These 2006). Then widespread use of DDT generated a and other medium-sized birds are a staple of this decline in reproductive success for the hawk’s diet but guilt-ridden feeder watchers can remaining Cooper’s Hawk populations until take some comfort: a recent study shows the regulation of the pesticide’s use in the 1970s Cooper’s Hawk is no more likely to be hunting (Curtis et al. 2006). Consequently a bird once in areas with feeders than in any other part of its called “our most abundant hawk” by Barrows winter territory (Roth et al. 2008). During the (1912) was called “fairly common” by Wood breeding season, it seems that Northern (1951) and Zimmerman and Van Tyne (1959) Cardinals that nest near a Cooper’s Hawk nest and then by Payne (1983), “an uncommon know to sing from a more concealed perch than transient and summer resident” though he does they would otherwise use (Duncan and note a probable increase in population. Between Bednekoff 2006). 1960 and 1983, only three counties north of the SLP reported nests, though this may be a case of This familiar woodland hawk breeds in all states underreporting (Payne 1983). Perhaps this is a but Alaska and Hawaii, as far north as the reason that the Cooper’s Hawk was retained as a southern provinces of Canada and as far south species of special concern in the state after as northern Mexico (Curtis et al. 2006). In being removed from a state threatened status in Michigan it is an uncommon breeder in the LP 1983 (Betz 1991). While MBBA I confirmed and a rare breeder in the UP. It is a fairly nesting in at least 15 counties in the NLP and common migrant in the SLP in the fall (Chartier UP, only nine counties in these areas had and Ziarno 2004). Also in the SLP, birds Confirmed nesting in MBBA II. However, regularly overwinter but there are only Cooper’s Hawks continue to be widely occasional Cooper’s Hawks on Christmas Bird distributed across the UP (3% of the townships) Counts in the UP where the species is generally and NLP (15 % of the townships), even though rare to casual (NAS 2009, Chartier and Ziarno sparsely so. In the SLP, the Cooper’s Hawk 2004). © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Deaver D. Armstrong continues to be well and widely distributed with Southeastern Michigan being most striking. breeding activity in just over half of the The NLP township numbers are essentially townships. unchanged. Though it is difficult to know why, the number of UP townships reporting evidence of breeding Cooper’s Hawks is less than half of Breeding Biology the number from MBBA I. The male Cooper’s Hawk is the primary nest builder and he begins this in the SLP in late The BBS data reflects the overall trend shown March or as late as mid-April (Kielb 1994b). by the township data. Michigan and each of the Cooper’s Hawks produce a single brood per surrounding states of USFWS Region 3 show year and may reuse nest sites from one year to substantial increases in populations since 1966 the next (Bent 1937). Females are the primary (Sauer et al. 2008). The BBA trend map for caretaker of the noisy nestlings throughout June 1966-2003 shows an area centered on the and July in Michigan, though males will bring heavily farmed areas of central and western food to the nest (Kielb 1994a, Curtis et al. Ohio as the only area in Region 3 showing any 2006). The young leave the nest after a month declines (Peterjohn and Rice 1991, Sauer et al. and will stay together near the nest for up to 2008). Christmas Bird Count data for Michigan seven weeks as parents drop whole prey nearby also reflect a strong increase in Cooper’s (Curtis et al.2006). Hawks, again mostly as a result of birds wintering in the SLP (NAS 2009). While the Cooper’s Hawk is a bird that nests in both mixed and deciduous forests, it is quite Conservation Needs tolerant of human disturbance and habitat This species’ population seems to be stable or fragmentation, and nesting and wintering in increasing throughout most of the state and most suburban/urban habitats is on the rise (Curtis et of the USFWS Region 3. Cuthrell (2002) had al. 2006, Roth et al. 2008). Studies of Cooper’s concern for loss of habitat for this species; Hawks nesting in urban areas in Wisconsin and however, Cooper’s Hawks have adjusted well to elsewhere in the Midwest suggest that Cooper’s human altered habitats and have strong and Hawks nesting in urban areas are as productive increasing populations, especially in southern as those in non-urban areas (Stout et al. 2007). Michigan (Curtis et al. 2006). Maintaining local woodlots for breeding and foraging will help the Abundance and Population Trends Cooper’s Hawk to continue to be successful in The Partners In Flight population estimate for the state. Cooper’s Hawks in Michigan is 16,000 birds or almost 3% of the world’s population (PIF 2007). Literature Cited As far as raptor species are concerned, only Broad-winged Hawks (50,000) and American Barrows, W.B. 1912. Michigan Bird Life. Kestrels (39,000) are more numerous while the Special Bulletin. Michigan Agricultural less secretive Red-tailed Hawk ranks fourth College. Lansing, MI (10,000). Bent, A.C. 1937. Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey. Part 1. U. S. The total number of townships in Michigan National Museum Bulletin No. 167. reporting evidence of breeding of Cooper’s Betz, M.R. 1991. Cooper’s Hawk. In Brewer, Hawks has increased since MBBA I, but almost R., G.A. McPeek, and R.J. Adams Jr. (eds.). all of that increase is in the SLP, with increases 1991. The Atlas of Breeding Birds of in the counties of Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties in © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Deaver D. Armstrong Michigan. Michigan State University Press. Peterjohn, B.G., and D.L. Rice. 1991. The East Lansing, MI. Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas. Ohio Department Chartier, A.T., and J. Ziarno. 2004. A Birder’s of Natural Resources. Columbus, OH. Guide to Michigan. American Birding Roth, T.C., W.E. Vetter, and S.L. Lima. 2008. Association. Colorado Springs, CO. Spatial ecology of wintering Accipiter Curtis, O.E., R.N. Rosenfield, and J. Bielefeldt. hawks: home range, habitat use and the 2006. Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii). influence of bird feeders. Condor 110: 260- The Birds of North America Online (A. 268. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Stout, W.E., R.N. Rosenfield, W.G. Holton and Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of J. Bielefeldt. 2007. Nesting biology of urban North America Online: Cooper’s Hawks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. <http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/07 Journal of Wildlife Management 71:366- 5> 375. Cuthrell, D.L. 2002. Special Animal Abstract Sauer, J.R., J.E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2008. The for Accipiter cooperii (Cooper’s Hawk). North American Breeding Bird Survey, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2007. Version Lansing, MI 5.15.2008. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Duncan, W.J. and P.A. Bednekoff. 2006. Research Center, Laurel, MD. Singing in the shade: song and song posts of Wood, N.A. 1951. The Birds of Michigan. MP Northern Cardinals near nesting Cooper’s 75. University of Michigan Museum of Hawks. Canadian Journal of Zoology Zoology. Ann Arbor, MI. 84:916-919. Zimmerman, D.A., and J. Van Tyne. 1959. A Kielb, M.A. 1994a. Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter Distributional Checklist of the Birds of cooperi) In McPeek, G.A., and R.J. Adams Michigan. OP 608. University of Michigan (eds.). 1994. The Birds of Michigan. Museum of Zoology. Ann Arbor, MI. Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN. Kielb, M.A. 1994b. The Population growth and nest cycle of the Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter Suggested Citation cooperi) in the Ann Arbor area, Washtenaw County, Michigan, 1988-1993. Michigan Armstrong, D. D. 2011. Cooper’s Hawk Birds and Natural History 1(2): 2-9. (Accipiter cooperii). In Chartier, A.T., J.J. National Audubon Society (NAS). 2009. The Baldy, and J.M. Brenneman (eds.). 2010- Christmas Bird Count Historical Results 2011. The Second Michigan Breeding Bird [Online]. Available <http://www.audubon Atlas. Kalamazoo Nature Center. .org/bird/cbc> [accessed 3/29/09] Kalamazoo, MI. Accessed online at: Partners in Flight (PIF). 2007. PIF Landbird <www.mibirdatlas.org/Portals/12/MBA2010 Population Estimates Database [web /COHAaccount.pdf >. application]. Version 2004. Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. <http://www .rmbo.org/pif_db/laped/default.aspx>. Payne, R.B. 1983. A Distributional Checklist of the Birds of Michigan. MP 164. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Ann Arbor, MI. © 2011 Kalamazoo Nature Center .
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