NEST SITES AND HABITAT SELECTED BY COOPER HAWKS, ACCIPITER-COOPERII, IN NORTHERN NEW-JERSEY AND SOUTHEASTERN NEW-YORK

Twenty-one Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) nests were located in an extensively forested region of the northeastern United States. Nesting occurred mostly in mixed deciduous-coniferous forest with Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) the dominant coniferous species in many nest sites. Nest sites had significantly greater percentages of coniferous trees (34.6%) than random sites (8.2%). Nest site stands also possessed a larger basal area and more canopy cover than random sites. All nests were constructed in live overstory trees (42.9% conifers), typically within the forest canopy. Nest trees were often (42.9%) the largest tree in the nest site. Although nest sites were always in heavily forested areas (87% forest cover), they were significantly closer to forest openings and wetlands (which often provided openings) than random sites. Nest sites were frequently on level ground or on lower slopes, never on ridgetops or steep upper slopes. Slope aspects differed from random sites, the southern quadrat was avoided for nesting. Nest sites were not significantly further from paved roads than random sites. Five nests were located within 37-100 m of paved roads suggesting that nesting Cooper's Hawks can be remarkably tolerant to car traffic and require only a very short buffer distance. However, most nests occurred in deeper forests since distance to paved roads and human habitation averaged 511 m and 687 m, respectively.