Not something you see every day in Southie but here’s a hawk hanging out on West Broadway on Wednesday morning.  The hawk is half-way in the bus shelter so perhaps he/she is waiting for the #9 to get to an appointment.

Is it strange to see a hawk in Southie – not really, they’ve been spotted in the neighborhood– although it is strange to see one just chilling on the sidewalk – so maybe he or she is sick?  Maybe the hawk had quite the Tuesday night and is nursing a terrible hangover?

This particular hawk is a Cooper’s Hawk.  According to Audubon Field Guide, it’s a medium-sized hawk of the woodlands that feeds mostly on birds and small mammals. “It hunts by stealth, approaching its prey through dense cover and then pouncing with a rapid, powerful flight.”

According to All About Birds website, raptors—especially Cooper’s Hawks – have become a familiar presence in urban areas due to the prey in the area – like squirrels, rats, pigeons and more.