Bringing Wild Birds to Your Backyard!

Eric Moore, the owner of Jay's Bird Barn, publishes an article about bringing wild birds to your backyard in The Daily Courier every Saturday. Sign up to receive our weekly article in your email.

Kingbirds Mobbing Hawks

We have recently been experiencing a lot of Cooper’s Hawk activity in our neighborhood—oftentimes right in our own yard. I always know when a Cooper’s Hawk is on the prowl, as several Western Kingbirds are in hot pursuit—chasing and attacking it in an effort to scare it away.

Kingbirds are in the flycatcher family, and they exhibit a boldness rarely seen in other flycatchers. Kingbirds are smaller than an American Robin, are a pale gray color on the head and breast, with bright yellow on the belly and undertail coverts. Look on page 292 in the Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America for an illustration.

Western Kingbirds are a summer resident in the Prescott area—arriving in April and leaving in September. During breeding season, they are right at home chasing hawks and ravens alike. No threat is too fearsome for a pair of breeding kingbirds.

This bold and aggressive behavior actually succeeds—hawks and ravens being dive-bombed and harassed will try to avoid being hassled by kingbirds. While it is not likely that a kingbird could ever hurt a hawk or a raven, the continual harassment annoys the larger birds and reveals their location, thus giving potential prey time to react to their presence.

The behavior where smaller birds attack larger birds is called ‘mobbing.’ It is interesting to see how there really is a ‘pecking’ order in the bird world (no pun intended.) Just as you will witness a kingbird mobbing a raven, ravens will in turn mob hawks, and hawks will mob eagles. Observing this behavior brings a whole new meaning to the expression, ‘what goes around comes around’! The same species that are being mobbed will in turn do the mobbing to other species.

One of the functions served by mobbing behavior is letting everyone know that there is a predator in the area. Once this has been accomplished, why would a predator stick around when the element of surprise has been blown?

While hawks are capable of flying at great speeds and are known for their maneuverability, they get little relief from the harassment of smaller birds. What is even more amazing than watching a kingbird harass a hawk is to watch a lone hummingbird take on a Cooper’s Hawk. I have seen this behavior several times over the last week.

Imagine the difference in size—a Cooper’s Hawk weighs in at approximately 450 grams while an Anna’s Hummingbird weighs only 4.3 grams. That means a Cooper’s Hawk is more than 100 times the size of a hummingbird! This is nature’s version of David and Goliath. In spite of its size, a Cooper’s Hawk is easily convinced by a diving hummingbird to move along.

The size of a bird has little to do with the attitude, temperament, and disposition of the bird. If you feed hummingbirds, you know how aggressive they can be. On a regular basis I witness their aerial duels and high-speed chases in my yard.

Speaking of aggressive hummingbirds; now is the time to be on the lookout for male Rufous Hummingbirds. I have received a few reports over the last week that they are beginning to show up at hummingbird feeders. They are already heading south towards their winter range in Mexico and Central America. Females and juveniles will show up next month.

Enjoy the summer rains, and Happy Birding!

If you have specific questions or issues related to wild birds which you would like discussed in future articles, you can submit them to Jay’s Bird Barn, 1046 Willow Creek Road, Suite 105, Prescott, AZ 86301 or log onto www.JaysBirdBarn.com and click on Ask Eric, which will link you with my e-mail address Eric@JaysBirdBarn.com.

Eric M. Moore is the owner of Jay’s Bird Barn and has been an avid birder for over 40 years.

My interest in birds began when I was very young. By the time I was five years old I was fascinated with birds and watched them at feeders in my parents' yard in Massachusetts.

At the age of 13 I joined the Tucson chapter of the National Audubon Society. When I lived in Utah I participated in the Utah County Birders Club (there was not an Audubon chapter in Provo). I have been associated with the Prescott chapter of the National Audubon Society for the past eleven years and have served on the board of directors and as the publicity chair.

I have led bird walks, been in charge of the Spring Migratory Bird Count, and I have participated in the Christmas Bird Count in Tucson, Provo, and Prescott for a time period spanning 30 years. I consider myself to be an excellent birder. Birding is more than a hobby for me--it is a passion.

-- Eric Moore
Owner, Jay's Bird Barn