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| A Cooper's Hawk visits a back yard in Mission Viejo. Photo by J.J. Meyer |
I recently heard an alarm call from the pair of black phoebes that frequent my yard. Their chirps reserved for accipiters, or hawks that prey on small birds, are the most shrill of the calls in their repertoire. I also noticed my feeders were empty. There had to be a hawk in the area. When I turned around, I saw the Cooper's hawk on the wall.
This accipiter is found year-round in Southern California. Their numbers have grown significantly since they've adapted to urban areas, where they've found it easy to snatch a meal at backyard birdfeeders. It's part of the circle of life. But if you want to protect your songbirds, hang your feeders where they can take cover for a quick escape. Songbirds may become scarce when a hawk has been visiting regularly.
Happy Birding!
J.J.
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