general questions

[Napper]

I have  questions regarding two species

Goldfinch and the Coopers Hawk

1)In a recent post I read and was informed that Goldfinches breed at this time of year and are just  now creating their nests.
Tonight I observed an adult  A. Goldfinch  with 4 little ones in tow. At one point he appeared to be feeding one of the little ones.
Is it possible that some birds like the ones behind my house have started a bit early?  


2)Coopers hawks

When do they breed  during they season? When do they start to show their adult breast colours? When do they become independant enough to hunt on their own?. I have seen what appeared to be an adult bird this summer and a  teen with almost all of its brownish stripes gone and a nearly white breast.  Last week there were two visits into the tree above my feeders.  I didnot see or hear  them arrive but I saw them in the tree and depart without any noise.

Thanx in advance Napper  :lol:

[Leslie Kinrys]

A. Goldfinches do breed at the end of July. The young fledge in about 15 days, so you would be seeing family groups.

I checked through my reference books, but couldn't find the information to answer your hawk questions. Maybe Norm Murr or Big Frank could help you out.

Last summer, around this time, I had a juvenile Cooper's Hawk hanging around our yard, learning to hunt. It would bumble out of the apple tree, sending all the feeder birds flying. It tried to grab a Mourning Dove one time, the next a squirrel, always missing. This year, I have an adult bird, which is an efficient hunter. I've seen it fly off with a dove and a starling.

[Anonymous]

Napper

 The Goldfinches that we spotted collecting nesting material on The Spit were most likely birds doing a second nesting. I am sorry I wasn't too clear. Goldfinches normally breed in July to take advantage of the Thistle crop but sometime (like this year) do have a second nesting time. Just as birds like the Robins have 2 and 3 nestings if the weather permits.

 As far as Cooper's Hawks go I don't know of a second nesting at this latitude. They time their nesting to take advantage of the fledging of young birds and emergent of young mammals in May and June as do the Owls and Eagles.

 Hope this helps.

Norm

[Napper]

I looked through my texts yesterday before posing the question.

Tonight I after got home, I decided to give the internet a try and found a little info at the Canada wildlife site.

I found one site with extensive reports from the early 1900's regarding "Coopers hawks" In the U.S.

http://birdsbybent.com/ch1-10/coopers.html

I will keep looking

Thanx again Napper

 :lol:

[BIGFRANK]

Hi Napper...while Im a raptor enthusiast,I dont want to pretend the following info is off the top of my head. Its based if not straight from Raptors of Eastern North America,by Brian K Wheeler. (an excellent book with many photos of hawks in flight and perched,plus species descriptions).  
     There are considered to be 3 "ages" adult,subadult and juvenile. Adult plumage is acquired when 2 years old. Subadult plumage is acquired when one year old. The nape(back of the head) and auriculars(around the eye area) are abit different then the adult,otherwise very similar. Juvenile plumage is retained the first year,by spring plumage fades and eye colour brightens. Juveniles tails are longer then adults and subadults.
  Nesting is Mar-June in South...May-July in North. One year old  females in juvenile plummage sometimes breed with male adults. Sub-adults breed commonly.  
  Now is that all clear as mud? I saw just the other day,a juvenile Coopers Hawk,by size clearly female. She appeared huge and made a try for a squirrel. She came in hot and low,almost landing on the squirrel such that I dont know how it missed. This happened about 10ft from me as I sat on a bench...of course Id just burried my camera in my backpack. Oh well she is almost a daily sighting so will catch her another day. Also saw 3 Crows chasing her the same day.

[Napper]

Thanx for the info BIGFRANK . I have a similar book "peterson field Guide, Hawks"   By William S. Clark and Brian K. Wheeler 1987 and  the info you gave me

is not in this book. I guess I 'm gonna have to get a  more up to date guide.

I should tell you the story why I asked the question. Have had repeated visits (random) of Coopers hawks.

I was lucky enough to grab a photo of one in my tree. March 11,   I remember the date because all the birds seemed to arrive here on the same

day. I am trying to figure out the age of the bird in my tree then and now..

I removed the image from my gallery a while back, I put it back today.

Napper  :lol:

thanx again.

[cloaca]

AMGO have egg dates (when the first was laid) in Ontario ranging from the 13 June to 24 September.

COHA have egg dates ranging from 27 April to 8 July.

(source: ONRS data as of 1983)