Comparative breeding ecology of Cooper's hawks in urban and exurban areas of southeastern Arizona

Cooper's hawks in Tucson, AZ, and in exurban areas in the southeastern part of the state were studied from 1994 to 1996 to compare their breeding ecology and productivity, with the end in view of assessing the quality of an urban environment as habitat for a species. Nesting was earlier for urban pairs and their clutches larger than exurban pairs. Urban nests were also found to have higher nesting mortality, with trichomoniasis as the primary cause of death. Urban nests also had a greater overall failure rate than exurban nests.