A recent study by Vladimir Dinets, a zoologist at the University of Tennessee, reveals that young hawks are using urban environments to their advantage. The birds observe traffic patterns and wait for pedestrians to cross the road, using the line of cars as cover to reach their target. This behavior is not unique to humans, as crows have also been observed using similar tactics in urban areas.
Dinets made the discovery during his daily commute in New Jersey, where he spotted a young Cooper’s hawk emerge from a tree near a road junction. The bird flew close to the pavement behind a queue of traffic that had stopped at a red light before crossing the road and taking a dive near one of the houses. After observing the behavior for two more times, Dinets realized the hawk was pouncing on a flock of birds that had gathered in front of a house where a family often ate dinner outdoors.
Over 18 days during the winter of 2021-22, Dinets carried out 12 hours of observations from his car, documenting six attempted attacks by the same hawk. The bird would only emerge from its tree when a long queue of traffic had built up, offering sufficient cover for its approach. This depended on the pedestrian crossing being activated.
The hawk also took up its position in the tree when the sound signal began, suggesting it used the sound as an indication that a longer traffic queue was to form and that it was time to prepare for attack. Dinets noted that this behavior required the bird to have a mental map of the area and understand the connection between the sound signals and traffic patterns.
While the study is limited by the fact that the sound signals stopped working in subsequent winters, it highlights the intelligence and adaptability of young hawks in urban environments. Dinets emphasized that cities can be dangerous for wild animals, but those with special abilities deserve our respect.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/23/tom-cruise-stunt-hawk-uses-pedestrian-crossing-target-prey