A couple of Cooper's hawks have been circling the yard. A car backfired out on the road & startled them enough to fly off but if they think there's food here, they'll be back.
HEY! BIRDS! Keep yer damn claws & beaks away from my squirrels!
i've never seen cooper's going after squirrels around here. they prefer doves and pigeons who don't have rodent teeth and claws to put up a significant fight.
bigger raptors, probably. squirrels are definitely afraid of red shouldered hawks, because Jays mimicked them to scare squirrels and others away from my peanuts as i tossed them awhile ago.
all squirrels instantly vanished, up trees over fences, GONE. jays enjoyed many peanuts.
Thanks! We do have a population of mourning doves in the area. And field mice, of course