COOPER'S HAWK 113 



(red, scarlet, and swamp white), 6 were in chestnuts, and 3 in maples. 

 The heights from the ground varied from 20 to 60 feet, but approx- 

 imately half of them ranged between 35 and 45 feet. I believe that 

 the Cooper's hawk prefers to, and generally does, build a new nest 

 each year, but the old nest is sometimes repaired and sometimes a 

 nest is built on an old squirrel's or crow's nest. A new nest is a 

 clean, substantial structure of sticks and twigs, varying in shape 

 and dimensions according to its location. Nests in w^hite pines are 

 rather broad and flat, built on two or three horizontal branches 

 and against the trunk. A typical new nest of this type w'ill measure 

 about 28 by 21 inches in length and breadth and 7 or 8 inches in 

 height. In one case, where a new^ nest had been built on top of an 

 old one, the combined structure was 27 inches high. Nests in de- 

 ciduous trees arc usually built in upright crotches, and are higher 

 but not so broad. An extreme nest of this type, built in the 4-prong 

 main crotch of a chestnut, measured 18 inches in diameter and 30 

 inches in height; it was probably built on an old nest of some sort. 

 The inner cavity is usually about 7 inches wide and 2 to 4 inches 

 deep, depending on the condition of the outer rim. The inner cavity 

 is alwaj'^s, according to my experience, lined with chips, or flakes, 

 of the outer bark of pines or oaks; I have never seen a nest con- 

 taining a full set that lacked this bark; but I believe it is usually 

 added after some, or all, of the eggs are laid. Occasion all}'- a few 

 sprigs of green pine needles are added, and once I found a nest 

 that was profusely lined with this material, together wdth the usual 

 bark flakes. 



A Cooper's hawk's nest can usually be recognized by its size, shape, 

 and location. Bits of down are oftener seen on this than on the 

 sharpshin's nest, but it is never so heavily decorated with down as 

 a Buteo's. Often the long tail of the incubating bird may be seen 

 projecting over the edge of the nest. Usually the bird darts away 

 with great speed and is not seen again ; sometimes one or both birds 

 fly about and cackle; but I have never found them so bold and ag- 

 gressive as sharpshins. Often the location of a nest is betrayed by 

 the cackling. Generally one finds in the nesting woods the feathers 

 of ruffed grouse, poultry, or smaller birds. Sometimes these hawks 

 use an old nest as a feeding station; these nests are well decorated 

 with feathers of the hawks and their victims. In one such nest I 

 once found the feathers of a screech owl. Cooper's hawks often 

 return to the same patch of woods to nest for several years in suc- 

 cession, but we have never found them so constant in their attach- 

 ment to a locality as the red-shouldered hawk. 



Bendire (1892) says: "On the plains where, from scarcity of suit- 

 able timber elsewhere, they are confined to the shrubbery of the 

 creek bottoms, consisting mainly of cottonwoods and willows, they 



