We were eating lunch today, when a commotion near the bird feeder caught our attention. A coopers hawk had swooped in and caught a pine siskin. We all jumped up and watched from the kitchen window. The hawk then flew with the little bird clasped in one talon over to the giant oak stump. It proceeded to eat its prey, changing positions on the stump and creating quite a mess of feathers in the process. After a few minutes it flew away with the pine siskin clutched once again in a single claw.
The pine siskins are small birds normally found in in the Canadian pine forests. However a pine cone failure has forced the pine siskins further south than usual this year. They tend to travel in flocks and can often be found in the company of goldfinches. We have a goldfinch feeder with Nyjer seed and the pine siskins are constantly there feeding with the goldfinches.
Learn more about these birds at AllAboutBirds.org: