Private Lives of Cooper's Hawk and Raven

Cooper's hawk in bird bath

Nature sometimes lets us in on the private lives of animals. Share a private moment with a Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) and a common raven (Corvus corax). 

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While we have song birds in and out of the bird bath all the time. Occasionally, birds of prey come down to the bath as well. This immature Cooper's hawk was most likely hatched in our neighborhood this spring.

female common raven

The raven pair have been neighbors for several years. The recent batch of youngsters are finally out of the nest and off on their own. The pair are back to romancing and renewing their pair bond. The female has this strange clucking/gurgling sound that she calls to the male. He was flying overhead between the trees.

Our bird neighbors frequently open up their personal lives, we just need to take a moment to observe.

More Earth Minutes with Ravens and Birds of Prey

Ravens with 2016 offspring
Identifying a Young Raven
Harrier Hawk with Prey on Frozen Big Bear Lake 
Red-tailed hawk on the L.A. River
Great Horned Owl Takes Shelter 
Osprey at Malibu Beach 
Bald Eagle in Alaska
White-bellied Sea Eagle - Australia 

More Earth Minutes with Birds and Wildlife

This Week's Earth Minute

Ravens Complain on the Power Pole

Common ravens Corvus corax have become more common in Southern California.

One very hot afternoon we heard incessant throaty calling outside the window.
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These three were sitting on the power pole across the street.

106 degrees Fahrenheit
41 degrees Celsius

Check out the "Hot Dog" in the video.... 
 For more ravens and birds check out TheEarthMinute.com

The Earth Minute: Ruffled Feathers - What's That Bird?

Visit Homes High Above Palm Springs (woodpecker nests)
Walking the L.A. River - Glendale Narrows (black-necked stilt, American wigeon)
Band-tailed Pigeons Take over FeederWatch
 Experience Mamukala Wetlands at Dusk (magpie geese, pied heron, royal spoonbill, great egret, whistling kite, plumed whistling duck, bush hen) 

Ruffled Feathers - What's That Bird?

Sometimes an Earth Minute is a chance encounter with a youngster waiting for its parents by the side of a road.

If that road is through Yellowstone National Park's Hayden Valley, the creature could be any number of species.

Can you identify this youngster when you have a close-up view?

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Did you know it was a common raven (Corvus corax)?

The nasal bristle feathers on the very thick beak, tell you this is a raven and not an American crow. The pink lining of its mouth and the downy chest feathers tell you it is still a youngster. It could fly, but seemed to be choosing to stay out of the stiff wind. Eventually it flew off, but we're not sure who enjoyed watching whom most.  

See other Earth Minutes of Yellowstone National Park

See more Earth Minutes with birds and wildlife

Visit TheEarthMinute.com each week 

for a new natural world encounter