post office cooper’s hawk
© 2011 Peter Green. All rights reserved.

post office cooper’s hawk

While passing through downtown’s Burnside Park today, I observed some commotion in a tree… something was standing on a pigeon… I could see from the thick banded tail it was a cooper’s hawk. The jostling caused snow to fall on its back so he flew away, with the carcass, to find a better perch. It headed right towards the door of the Exchange Street Post Office! It was 4pm so I assumed it was open for business and I wondered if someone would open the door and be surprised by a hawk at their feet.

Check out the murderous deep red eyes on this adult Cooper’s Hawk. I really like when my pictures show a raptor in a completely urban environment; bricks, metal, concrete – no trees. And a new hawk is always a nice surprise – this is the third individual I’ve seen in Burnside Park this winter. There are plenty of delicious pigeons in the park every day, it’s probably difficult for a hungry hawk to resist.

It only stayed on the ground for a few seconds… then leaped up to a large branch above a bus stop, still holding the pigeon in its talons. A few people waiting for the bus saw it fly over their heads and got a real thrill and smiled.

The whole encounter lasted just three minutes… always have your camera with you.

© 2011 Peter Green. All rights reserved.
© 2011 Peter Green. All rights reserved.
© 2011 Peter Green. All rights reserved.
© 2011 Peter Green. All rights reserved.
© 2011 Peter Green. All rights reserved.
© 2011 Peter Green. All rights reserved.

3 Comments

  1. Adam Olszewski
    Posted 14 Jan ’11 at 7:24 pm | Permalink

    awesome, he looks triumphant over that pigeon.
    bird eats bird :(

  2. J.Giacomini
    Posted 17 Jan ’11 at 12:14 pm | Permalink

    Nice shots!!! I’ve been seeing a lot of Cooper’s Hawks this winter. Not one with a pigeon tho…pretty cool!

    • Cody koellner
      Posted 13 Mar ’12 at 10:03 am | Permalink

      Sweet! You seem like you know alot. My 12 year old sister is working on cooper’s hawk.She is also trying to learn about other raptors

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