When do Cooper's hawks arrive in Alberta?
The Cooper's Hawk is a summer breeder in Alberta — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Cooper's Hawk timing in Alberta
- Arrives
- Around March
- Leaves
- By July
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- April–June
- Present roughly
- March–July
In Alberta, Cooper's hawks are present through the warm months, arriving around March and heading south again by July.
These windows are set by latitude: Alberta sits in the northern part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when Cooper's hawks are expected in Alberta. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before March is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early March — the first Cooper's hawks into Alberta are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around April, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What Cooper's hawks eat while they're here
- Doves, jays, starlings and chipmunks
The classic 'feeder hawk'. If one moves in, take feeders down for a week or two and it will move on.
Full Cooper's Hawk diet guide → · Best feeder for Cooper's hawks →
Native plants that hold Cooper's hawks in Alberta
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Alberta-native plants are known to attract Cooper's hawks:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.
Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.
Spruce-budworm habitat and dense winter roosting cover.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do Cooper's hawks arrive in Alberta?
Cooper's hawks typically arrive in Alberta around March, with nesting underway by April. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do Cooper's hawks leave Alberta?
Most Cooper's hawks have left Alberta by July. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do Cooper's hawks stay in Alberta all year?
No — in Alberta the Cooper's Hawk is a summer breeder, present roughly March–July. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before Cooper's hawks arrive in Alberta?
Have feeders up and clean by early March — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: doves, jays, starlings and chipmunks.
Sources
- Cooper's Hawk — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Cooper's Hawk life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Cooper's Hawk — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alberta
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.