Decomposition of a migratory hawk

In terms of avians being poached, hawks are often shot during migration in September. With the help of CSU graduate student Krystal Hans, and CMNH Ornithologist Dr. Andy Jones, we placed out a cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) for decomposition. The photos below document the first couple of hours of activity.

13 Sept. 2007: This cooper's hawk was found dead and provided to the Museum. We will allow it to decompose for 4-6 weeks, study the insect faunal succession, and then provide the bones to the Museum's osteology collection.

13 Sept. 2007: Two hours post-exposure, green bottle flies swarmed the bird, laid eggs inside a wound on the ventral area of the carcass, and laid eggs underneath the carcass between the feathers and the ground.

13 Sept. 2007: Krystal collecting blow fly eggs (green bottle flies: Calliphoridae) from the cooper's hawk carcass.