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Pileated Woodpecker Versus Cooper Hawk

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On January 31, 1921, while we were on our way to Mirror Lake, Yosemite Valley, we heard the loud, ringing call of the Pileated Woodpecker. Looking up we saw two rather large birds dashing through the treetops. The dark bird with the white wing-patches we recoginzed at once as a Pileated; the lighter colored bird turned out to be a Cooper Hawk. A pursuit was apparently in progress, but as the birds dashed through the branches of the tall trees it was impossible to be sure which of the birds was the pursuer and which the pursued. Both birds quickly left our range of vision, but a little farther on we heard gentle tappings and soon located the woodpecker. The hawk was there, too, perched on a limb a few. feet away. The woodpecker was drilling and prying off chips with apparent unconcern, while the hawk looked on with seemingly hungry eyes. While we were watching, the hawk flew to a branch a few feet above the woodpecker. Pileated tilted his head and gave the hawk a sidelong glance and then deliberately flew toward him and drove him from the tree. With the hawk gone, the woodpecker went on with his drilling as though nothing had happened. Perhaps the hawk saw visions of a good meal, but lacked the courage to attack a bird so well equipped to give battle.

Yosemite, California, February 2, 1921

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