Seattle’s Adaptable Cooper’s Hawks – Ed Deal

Come join us for an evening of enjoyment with Ed Deal. Twenty-five years ago Cooper’s Hawks began colonizing urban and suburban landscapes throughout the US, developing a tolerance for living in proximity to humans. Ed Deal, from Seattle’s Urban Raptor Conservancy, will provide insights into these common but elusive raptors. The Seattle Cooper’s Hawk Project is one of several studies in large US cities (e.g., Tucson, Milwaukee, Albuquerque) and the only all-volunteer, citizen science project. Since 2012 the group has monitored the local Cooper’s Hawk population nesting density and annual nest productivity. A color-ID banding program helps us track fledgling dispersal, longevity, and adult breeding site and winter site fidelity. Study results show annual increases in nesting pairs, high nest success rates, high fledgling productivity, little evidence of migration, strong site fidelity and mostly short natal dispersal distances. In 2012 we documented 26 nesting attempts, with 22 successful nests producing 70 fledglings. In 2018 volunteers monitored 46 nesting attempts within the Seattle city limits. Forty nests succeeded, producing a record high 145 fledglings for our seven-year study. Successful nest productivity is consistently high, averaging 3.63 fledglings per successful nest in 2018, with 3 nests fledging 5 young. Preliminary data on nest-building and incubating pairs for the 2019 season will also be presented.

Arrive at 7 p.m. to socialize; programs begin promptly at 7:30 p.m.