A Thirsty Cooper's Hawk Takes a Drink

It's getting hotter now and the neighborhood Cooper's Hawk stopped by for a drink of water. Some birds prefer drinking from the tall bird bath.

Some birds prefer drinking from the water on the ground. Apparently the Cooper's Hawk will use either source. This photo shows how long a Cooper's Hawk is. From the tip of its bill to the end of its long tail the hawk is about 15" long. Adult Cooper's Hawks have gray backs and an orange or red iris.

After looking back and forth a few times, the Cooper's Hawk gets ready to drink. After I took the following photo he hopped to the other side of the water.

Cooper's Hawks, like most other birds, cannot swallow water the way you and I do. They do not have lips or cheeks to suck up water. These birds dip their bills in water first, and then raise their heads up.

They use gravity to let the water flow down into their stomachs.

The hawk performed this action over and over again until it had finished quenching its thirst. That's what most birds do to drink.

Once more, the Cooper's directs the water down its throat.

It's always a treat to see the Cooper's Hawk in my yard. I rarely see it hunting the birds in my yard, but it does stop by often to drink.

Birdathon Wrap-up: There were 46 teams participating in this year's Tucson Bird Alliance Birdathon. Our team collected the 7th greatest amount of donations thanks to your generosity. However, our team was awarded the title of "Grand Champion" thanks to the nice comments many donors made and to the idea of using my newsletter to spread the word about the Tucson Bird Alliance's Birdathon. Thanks to all of you!!