144 LAND BIRDS 



Young: Upper parts dark brown ; under parts streaked, not barred. 



Downy Young: Uniform pure white. 



Geographical Distribution: The entire United States and southern British 



Provinces, south in winter to Mexico. 

 Breeding Range: Throughout California. 

 Breeding Season: April and May. 



Nest: Usually in high trees ; often a remodelled crow's nest. 

 Eggs : 4 or 5 ; pale greenish white, plain or dimly marked with light 



brown. Size 1.97 X 1.42, 



Like the sharp-shinned, the Cooper Hawk is the bane 

 alike of the farmer and the bird-lover. He is known 

 throughout the United States by the name of Chicken 

 Hawk, and so daring is he that he will come down into 

 the farmyard for poultry in the face of the farmer. 

 There are several records of weasels that have been 

 seized by this hawk, sucking its blood at the throat and 

 causing its death. One skeleton specimen was found 

 with the teeth of the weasel so locked in the bone of the 

 hawk that it could not be removed. But unfortunately, 

 although chickens, weasels, snakes, lizards, and small 

 quadrupeds are doubtless upon his bill of fare, song birds 

 are too often his victims, and the ornithologist who is 

 patiently studying the development of some rare brood 

 has good cause to dislike him. 



The nest of the Cooper Hawk is placed in tall trees, 

 and being added to and occupied year after year, it be- 

 comes an exceedingly bulky structure. April to May is 

 the usual date, in California, at which nesting begins, 

 and incubation lasts thirty-one days. The young remain 

 in the nest six to eight weeks, and are fed upon the 

 small live mammals, never upon dead flesh. Small won- 

 der they learn to pounce upon and tear anything that 

 moves in the grass or among the trees. 



