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Posted by Rock Jetty on 13:50:08 11/08/07
In Reply to: okay rock jetty, let's hear it posted by kurt d.
Gosh, I don't check the birdboard for a day and a half and look what I miss.
Well, I don't blame you for being sore Kurt D, it's in our nature to be selfish...a normal emotion. So instead of going off on a lengthy diatribe that will ultimately get us nowhere, I'll just try to sympathize with you...maybe.
You work very hard in your patch of land in order to attract all of YOUR favorite birds and before you know it BANG, a Cooper's Hawk or two comes and eliminates them methodically...leaves none for the cats. The nerve. Forgive me for being cynical but my response to your problem is: WOW, way cool. Being an ecologist does give me an edge on understanding the predator/prey dynamics (Jeff Weber had mentioned this term) that are taking place, since it's part what I study. See, I know YOUR bird numbers will come back, eventually, maybe a little suppressed (unfortunately, since we humans want results immediately, this response may not comply with you). The Cooper's are not going to wipe out populations of Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Mourning Doves, etc. We can only hope they wipe out the Eurasian Collared Dove population and THAT would also be impossible. Collared Dove's are preferred over songbirds, why: Chasing a bird equals energy expenditure on the hawk's part. If the hawk is going to spend equal (or nearly equal) amounts of energy on songbirds and doves alike, it'll choose the doves, more bang for the buck. Bigger catch per unit effort. Birds of prey will only take what they need and will not exhaust their food supply, it's in their best interest not to.
By the way, the Cooper's Hawk IS special, maybe not to YOU but to the general population yes. Cooper's Hawk populations declined throughout the twentieth century (along with every other raptor) not because of lack of resources, but because of ignorant fools who would trap or shoot them. They are still listed in some states as endangered. We should all feel lucky that this magnificent bird of prey has adapted to urban areas. I remember when the late Bob Kelley would keep us updated about the Cooper's nest in the Gifford Arboretum, UM. Everyone was happy to hear the hawks were nesting in south Florida.
I haven't said anything that others haven't said already in defense of Cooper's, or for that matter, Sharp-shinned and Red-shouldered Hawks, Peregrine Falcons and Merlins, etc. It's just a matter of selfishness, in my opinion. Either the hawk gets the bird for consumption, survival, and procreation, or YOU get the bird for your viewing pleasure.
That, said, if I ever see a Cooper's attack a Collared Dove and miss, I'll make sure I kill the dove myself and serve it to the hawk on a plate. I'll intervene that way. Oh, and don't tell me again to man up, there's enough man to go around here.
Cheers and Happy Hawking,
RJ
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