Five interaction images of three young cooper's Hawks.

Top image: One of the three Hawks is having lunch whilst being watched from below by the Hawk lying down on a branch (see fifth image and/or see yesterday's posting at http://www.pbase.com/hankvv/image/156622815)


"Oh No! Here comes BIG Brother."


The third young Hawk (BIG Brother or BIG Sister) flew in and bumped the one having lunch off of its meal. (You can see the bumped Hawk cowering behind the leaves on the right.)


The bumped Hawk slowly shuffled to the very end of the branch on which it had been feeding and where now its sibling was finishing its stolen lunch, some 5 meters away.


During the lunch-time thievery, the third young hawk merely looked on from its lower perch. It was lying down and appeared to be relaxing after it seemed to already have finished its meal.

Note, The young Hawk that was lying down appeared to favour its left leg. It often stood perched on its right leg with the left one tucked up under its belly feathers, Heron-like. It stood on both legs too at times, was able to take off normally and to pick up lunch that Mom and dad would drop on the ground for them to retrieve.

During the weeks we observed these young Hawks, it was interesting to see the adults first bring food directly to the young; then, make the young come and get it from them as they perched on a higher branch; then, start dropping their catch on the ground for the young to pick up, all presumably to teach them to fly and to retrieve, then catch prey.