Red Car Canyon: Cooper's Hawks Taking On Great Horned Owl

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 11, 2016.  This morning, two Cooper's Hawks were harassing the Great Horned Owl who hangs out in the same pine tree on a regular basis in Red Car Canyon.  Naturally they were all in a densely wooded area.  This was the best shot.

The Cooper's Hawks, which are highly maneuverable forest  hawks, were were using timber bamboo, taking turns flying toward the owl in and out of the more brightly lit bamboo toward the owl who never moved from the tree.  Neighbors and I  witnessed the Cooper's Hawks harass the owl several times in recent years, caught it on camera twice.  All manner of birds from Red Tail Hawks to hummingbirds are known to harass Great Horned Owls, the apex avian predator.

I couldn't get a clear shot of the owl nor the hawks.  I had to give up after 10 minutes because I'd already spent too much time with an earlier Red Shouldered Hawk encounter between Adelbert cut through and India Street on the Red Car Property.

See all related posts: 
Cooper's Hawk
Great Horned Owl