DFW Urban Wildlife

A frantic screech and squawk caught my attention one afternoon while I was filling my car with gas. A quick look around revealed this large female Cooper’s Hawk on the ground in a grocery store parking lot.

I quickly grabbed my camera and started shooting pictures even though it was still unclear exactly what was going on. It did soon become evident that the Cooper’s Hawk was determined to stay where she was. My approach attracted her attention but it was not enough to cause her to flee.

With a slightly different vantage point the situation revealed itself. The Cooper’s Hawk had captured a female Great-tailed Grackle in a small puddle and was holding her under water in an effort to drown the smaller bird.

The Cooper’s Hawk was nervous from the attention she was attracting, but the bird was determined to hold her ground. It was not until the grackle’s struggles abruptly ended a few minutes later that the hawk made her retreat.

Observation Details

County	–	Denton
City	–	Carrollton
Date	–	Jul 21, 2013
Time of Day	–	Afternoon
Temperature	–	Hot (greater than 89°F/32°C)
Weather	–	Clear
Habitat	–	Commercial-Retail
Type of Behavior	–	Hunting
Gender	–	Female
Maturity	–	Adult
Observer	–	Chris Jackson
Main Article	–	Cooper’s Hawk	Observation Location

Related Posts:

Cooper’s Hawk – Fenced Gadwall – Bath Time Northern Harrier – Winging It Robber Fly – With Prey Little Blue Heron – Juvenile Stalking