This is a very common technique among falcons, among all other hunting
skills they posses depending on the species. But for accipiters, it tends to
be a little less common compared to the falcons just because accipiters
usually don't sit too still for a long time. A miss or obvious site of prey
not catchable usually prompts them to leave. But imm. birds are still
learning and not as exprienced, so they'll usually do things an adult bird
won't. An adult bird depending on the situation, will not even attempt
something, or will try a few times and then leave. But accipiters will fly
into brush and try to flush any birds, if they don't come out, they try
again but I've never seen it last too long. Sometimes they'll go right in,
it all depends on the type of vegitation (thorns no thorns, thick, not thick
etc.)

I had an adult female I believe, cooper's, attacking birds everywhere and
(actually, probably male due to type of prey but can't remember) and these
house sparrows had bailed into this large holly type shrub, taller than me
(more than 6 feet). The cooper's then just went right in there and tried
flushing them out but to no success. She landed on the other side, my side,
and was very VERY mad twitching and chattering under her breath. I also
watched an imm. female sharpy or possibly imm. male cooper's (this all
happened yrs. ago) fly in between me and our house, up into a tree that was
about 5 feet tall. It sat there and then a few house sparrows went into this
large pyramadalis, it was quick to grab that oppurtunity and it went right
in, some shaking, a scream and out popped this accipiter with a female house
sparrow. So, there are a TON of different styles of hunting techniques used
by accipiters, it all depends on the bird, the situation at hand etc.


Blake Iverson
Arlington, WA
coopershwk at hotmail.com

_________________________________________________________________
Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online
http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963