Coopers hawks are small but fierce birds of prey that are found throughout much of North America. They are aggressive hunters that specialize in catching small birds and mammals. As with most raptors, having a defined territory is an important part of their behavior and survival strategy.
Territorial Behavior
Coopers hawks are highly territorial during the breeding season. A breeding pair will stake out and defend an area of forest or woodland as their own. This territory provides the resources the hawks need to survive and raise young, including nesting sites and ample prey.
The size of a Cooper’s hawk’s territory can vary, but on average it will encompass 30-150 acres. In ideal habitat with plentiful prey, the territory may be on the smaller end of that range. Where prey is more scarce, the hawks may defend a larger territory up to 150 acres or more in order to meet their resource needs.
Both the male and female Cooper’s hawk will fiercely defend the territory against intrusions from other hawks. They identify the territory boundaries through key perches and flight paths and will chase out or even attack encroaching hawks. This behavior reduces competition over food and nesting sites.
Marking the Territory
Coopers hawks use specific behaviors to establish and mark their territory each season:
- Perch displays – hawks will perch prominently at key points along the territory boundaries and perform displays and calls
- Courtship flights – breeding pairs perform dramatic courtship flights together over the territory
- Nest building – the nest site is often a central point of the territory
- Intruder harassment – chasing out hawks that enter the defended space
These behaviors visibly signal occupancy of an area. The breeding hawks will engage in them frequently during the crucial spring breeding season. Both males and females participate in territorial defense and displays.
Food and Nest Sites
The defended breeding territory contains two key resources needed by Coopers hawks:
- Abundant prey – Coopers hawks prey primarily on small birds, including robins, jays, doves, and woodpeckers. They also eat small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Defending a territory with enough prey is crucial.
- Nest sites – Cooper’s hawks nest in the crotch or main fork of deciduous or pine trees. They often reuse the same nesting site for several years, so quality nest trees are important.
Having exclusive access to these resources allows a breeding pair to successfully raise young. The hawks will defend the territory from competitors throughout nesting and rearing season which lasts from spring through mid-summer months.
Non-Breeding Season
During the non-breeding season, Coopers hawks become less territorial. A few key differences occur in the fall and winter months:
- Ranges expand – with no nest or mate to protect, ranges increase up to 300 acres or more
- More tolerant of intrusions – less energy spent aggressively chasing out other hawks
- Nomadic movement – individuals may wander and explore new areas
While they still require adequate food resources, the lack of breeding responsibilities means Coopers hawks do not need to maintain distinct territories outside of the breeding season.
Ideal Territory Habitat
Coopers hawks seek out territories with the following ideal characteristics:
- Mature hardwood or mixed forests
- Forest gaps, edges, and clearings
- Abundant small bird and mammal populations
- Tree stands for nesting sites
- Nearby water source like a stream or pond
These types of wooded habitats provide the cover, foraging opportunities, nesting sites and water sources hawks require. Urban parks and suburban woodlands can also make suitable habitat as Cooper’s hawks adapt to some human presence.
Threats to Territory
Cooper’s hawks face risks of territory loss from the following threats:
- Habitat loss from development
- Logging and removal of nest trees
- Competition with larger hawks like goshawks
- Human disturbance of nest sites
- Decline in prey species
Like many birds of prey, loss of territory and suitable habitat is one of the largest risks to breeding success. Sustaining areas of intact woodland is key to maintaining Cooper’s hawk populations.
Territorial Adaptability
While territorial during breeding season, Cooper’s hawks are actually quite adaptive the rest of the year. Some key points about their flexibility include:
- Nomadic in migration and wintering
- Able to exploit urban habitats
- Opportunistic hunters taking varied prey
- Can nest successfully in both rural and urban environments
This adaptability allows Cooper’s hawks to thrive across much of the continent in varied habitat types from dense forests to city parks. It contributes to the relative stability of their overall population numbers.
Conclusion
Defending a breeding territory is a key component of Coopers hawk life history. The hawks become highly territorial each spring, defending areas of 30-150 acres of woodland in order to secure nest sites and abundant prey. Vigorous displays and defense of the territory are performed by both male and female hawks. While territorial behavior essentially defines their breeding season, Cooper’s hawks exhibit high adaptability the rest of the year. This flexibility allows them to utilize urban areas and nomadically explore new habitats outside of the breeding season. Maintaining intact forest habitats will be key to preserving breeding territories and ensuring thriving Cooper’s hawk populations going forward.