Exciting Cooper's Hawk Activity!

This morning we heard two Cooper's Hawks calling to each other. One was perched in a tree in the front yard and the other was down the street a little ways. This went on for quite some time and then the Cooper in our tree flew off. A few minutes later, we saw the two of them fly back through our yard and then off across the street, over the neighbour's barn. We know there has been a juvenile Cooper around for awhile now, so I'm wondering if he (she?) has met up with a partner? I've been doing some research and it seems like they don't start mating until March, but I'm not sure at what stage they partner up? I've also read that they may pair up for life. Here's some information I've found:


http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/watchable-wildlife/what/Birds/ospreys/ch.cfm:

LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY: Males try to attract females by soaring in broad circles over treetops. The tail is closed and the wings are held high above its back. Pairs of Cooper’s hawks can be seen soaring on thermals together. Cooper’s hawks are monogamous and many pairs mate for life. They breed once a year, as early as March, and have one brood per season. The male selects the nest site but the nest-building is done primarily by the female. Nests are located in a fork or on a limb next to the trunk of a tree. The nest is usually constructed of sticks and twigs in the shape of a cup lined with pieces of bark and down. Many times the nest may be built on top of an old squirrel’s nest. The female lays three to six bluish to greenish-white eggs. These eggs become stained soon after being in the nest. Hatching occurs after a 32-36 day incubation period provided primarily by the female. The male provides food for the female. Young are tended to by both parents until they leave the nest at about 27-34 days after hatching. Parents continue to provide food for about eight weeks.


http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/lifehistory:

Life is tricky for male Cooper’s Hawks. As in most hawks, males are significantly smaller than their mates. The danger is that female Cooper’s Hawks specialize in eating medium-sized birds. Males tend to be submissive to females and to listen out for reassuring call notes the females make when they’re willing to be approached. Males build the nest, then provide nearly all the food to females and young over the next 90 days before the young fledge.

And just because I always find this information so interesting from whatbird.com:

The Cooper’s Hawk was first described in 1828 by Charles Bonaparte, a French naturalist and ornithologist who was the nephew of Napoleon. It was named after William Cooper, who collected the first specimen.

and

A group of hawks has many collective nouns, including a "boil", "knot", "spiraling", "stream", and
"tower" of hawks