Meet Copper, Resident Red-Shouldered Hawk
When I started this new mantra of “Love the Little Stuff”, the first thing I noticed was all the fascinating nature going on right over my head. I had never taken the time to simply look up! I am beginning to notice so much just by taking the time to stop and study the sky. There are so many cool cloud formations, red and oranges during a gorgeous sunset, and most of all I am starting to see so many different kinds of birds that I had never noticed before.
When you step outside here in Talent, Oregon, the first thing you notice is the wide variety of bird sounds filling the air. I never noticed how many different kinds live right outside in my front yard. I have lots to introduce to you but I have to say, my favorite is probably the red-shouldered hawk.
What Does A Red Shouldered Hawk Tell You?
The Cherokee believe when you see a red-shouldered hawk you are visited by a messenger of vision. When you see one, whatever you were thinking about is going to come true and manifest in your life. It is telling you to clear your mind because someone is trying to get your attention. They represent a clear vision and great focus.
We moved to our place here in early 2019 and shortly after that, there was a snowstorm. I am not a fan of driving in the snow, so I decided to have a cave day at home. I watched out the kitchen window as the fluffy, white flakes came swirling down to build up and cover the grass. Directly across the road, there is a telephone pole that stands at the edge of a big field. I stood there daydreaming for a few minutes before I realized there was a bird perched on the top of the pole. I could barely make out what it was between all the flakes so I grabbed my camera and snapped some pictures with the telephoto lens. When I reviewed the pictures I could see it was a hawk with a beautiful red breast so I decided to name him Copper.
Cool Facts About Red-Shouldered Hawk
Build their nests high in the trees during the winter or early spring and will decorate them with various green plants
While they are flying, you can see translucent white crescents at the tips of their wings.
The rhythm of flight is flap, flap, glide
Named for the reddish-brown shoulder patches
Unlike their red-tailed cousins, the red shoulder soars less and prefers to perch in the cover of trees
I had never heard of a red-shouldered hawk until I spotted Copper for the first time. They are beautiful majestic birds with copper chests and striped wings. These birds are actually a close relative of the red-tailed hawks I have heard of, but these are smaller.
Where Do Red-Shouldered Hawks Live?
Red-shouldered hawks have not always been in Southern Oregon but have been migrating this direction from California since the 1990s. They live close to wetlands. That makes sense since we live right next to a creek with nearby agricultural fields that would make fantastic hunting grounds. Copper seems to enjoy hanging around this area so I decided to learn more about them.
What Do Red-Shouldered Hawks Eat?
Once I did a little research, I realized why Copper was perched high up on that telephone pole. He was looking for a few small critters for dinner. The hawks eat small mammals, smaller birds, reptiles, or even large insects. They are known to enjoy hunting for mice or snakes from a high perch. They have great vision and sharp talons and will kill their dinner by dropping right onto it from the air.
How Do Red-Shouldered Hawks Communicate?
The red-shouldered hawks are also some of the most vocal large birds. We can hear them distinctly whenever we go out in the yard or from in the house if the door is open. The hawks like to make most of their noise early in the day. They are calling to each other, scaring away smaller birds, or, since they are very territorial, you may hear their screaming when they are defending their territory.
How Do Red-Shouldered Hawks Go About Breeding?
The red-shouldered hawk usually mates between April and July. I was lucky enough to snap a picture of Copper with his queen. It was a cloudy day and I was writing at my desk. I paused for a moment to glance out the window while I searched for my next phrase. There in the tree just beyond our fence was Copper with what I can only assume was his mate. I figure her name should be Penny.
These hawks find their mate and keep the same one year after year. Once they hook up, the couple will build a nest made of sticks in the fork of a large tree. Often they will keep a stash of food nearby. They will use the same nest year after year, once they spruce it up a little of course. The female will then lay 3 to 4 eggs every year.
Raising the Young Hawks
While the female stays and keeps an eye on the nest, the male will go out hunting for food. He will return with a mouse in his beak and call her softly to come to enjoy a meal. She lands next to him and nervously eats, but all the while she is nervously watching out for predators and is concerned about the nest.
The male is not much of a babysitter. He goes and sits on the nest for a bit so she can enjoy her meal. They need to be concerned about ravens or jays. The male knows that he will be spending most of his time hunting for food while she sits on the eggs and then takes care of the little ones.
The Nest
This nest is located in a tree across the road. I have not seen the hawks there yet but I will keep watching to see if that is actually their home. It looks exactly like the kind of nest they would make so I am hoping that is where Copper and Penny live.
Male red-shouldered hawks also make calls when they are courting a mate. They are quite romantic, getting the female’s attention with courtship displays called “sky dancing”. They soar high into the air and then make steep dives, each followed by a wide spiral. That would be impressive for any female.
It is such a treat peeking out the kitchen window and seeing Copper sitting on top of that pole across the street. I always grab the camera and take a ton of pictures, trying to catch him in flight but so far no luck. A few days ago though, my husband pushed the front door open and told me to grab my camera and hurry outside. Copper had decided to perch on the telephone pole that is right at the edge of our yard, so I got some fantastic pictures. I hope you enjoy it!
My Recommended Product
Yes, for each article I would like to recommend a product from Amazon, partially because it helps me generate a little income to help pay for this site and because I hope it will foster your interest in this subject.
If you are interested in red-shouldered hawks and want to teach your kids about them, check out this adorable book.
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