stupid hawk

[floppy109909]

i am not having any luck k zoo got killed his mate and their two kids got killed. i thought that the hawk has left so i let my new pigeon out to get some exercise, and she got killed gosh i am about to give up i love my pigeons and now this happened

[Charis]

The Hawk is smart. The Hawk will keep coming back until it has eaten all your pigeons and any pigeons you may bring home in the future.
You can't let any pigeons out EVER AGAIN. They do just fine being confined and it sure beats being DEAD.

[Trees Gray]

The hawk is not stupid, he KNOWS you have got birds because of his past experience with them, and he is just hungry, and when you release them that is in invitation to dinner, you are saying come and get it.

Your birds sould be kept inside, IF there is a hawk around, and you may not have homing pigeons, if they are not able to escape from the hawk, so KEEP them inside. Also, a pigeon by itself is a sitting duck-there is safety in numbers.

Also, if you can see the hawk taking the pigeon down, go chase it down, you may still be able to rescue your bird. When they bring them down, it doesn't necessarily mean they are dead, I have rescued several from hawks and they are alive today.

[maryjane]

I'm sorry the hawk is still killing your birds. I know it must be very frustrating and sad. Please do keep your pigeons inside an aviary or flight pen, all the time. I know it is nice to allow them to fly free, but with this hawk problem it's just best to keep them confined. If you need to expand your aviary, go for it, and make it as roomy and comfy as possible. All of my birds are "prisoners" and though many have come from free-flying lifestyles, I've yet to have a single one panic or spend all their time trying to get out. In fact, they settle in immediately and all seem very content. If I had one that didn't, I would try to rehome it somewhere it could fly, but that problem has never occurred (and I've had over 100 pigeons over the years). There's absolutely no reason they can't be made happy in an aviary, provided it meets all their needs.

[Msfreebird]

I do not free fly my birds. I have a large flight cage attached to my loft and a large aviary. Both have solid roofs. My Fantails are in a large free standing cage (similar to a rabbit hutch) with wooden nest boxes and a roof over 1/2 and screening over the other half. All of this is fenced in with my dogs on guard. I got the shock of my life yesterday!
I was walking down to my truck and heard the sudden rush of birds flying in my loft. I turned around to see the biggest hawk I've ever seen in my dog pen. I started running toward the pen screaming and waving my arms and he flew up onto a branch about 6 feet high right beside my fantails. I get to him - still screaming and waving (now we're about 4 feet apart from each other) and he wouldn't move! He just looked at me like I was some kind of a nut case!! I started swinging at him trying to shoo him away and he flew up a little higher - but he wouldn't leave
This hawk was HUGE. His wing span was wider than my 115 lb lab is long(over 4 feet)! Sitting on the branch, he was at least 2 feet tall and I'm not exagerating-I've never seen one SO BIG! At first I thought it was a red tail hawk, but there was no red tail! He was tan with brown flecks on his wings. (wait a minute, I just had a thought. I'll get back to you on that)
Consiquently, I put a roof on the other half of my fantails cage yesterday - AND scolded the dogs for not doing their job - while he watched!

[little bird]

Could have been a migrating juvenile red tail as they do not have the red tail as yet. Could also explain why it wasn't afraid of you.... they migrate south from Canada and maybe he had never seen a human before but they sure know what birds are.... birds mean dinner.

[Msfreebird]

I was trying to look up and figure out what kind of hawk it was. Sorry - I'm still flabergasted at the size! With the tan body and black flecks, the only thing I can come up with is a juvenile red-tail hawk. I know I'm carrying on - but this was my 1st (real) close encounter and my dogs were even afraid of how brasen he was! He knocked my fake owl off his pedestil!
OK, I'll calm down now - nobody got hurt

I am so sorry your birds got killed, and I would most definately not let anymore out to fly.

[Msfreebird]

I was just looking out my door, when I noticed it was extremely quiet again (like yesterday) and heard the single "distress cry" (warning squeal) of a wild bird in the distance. So I grabbed my camera and went out on my deck. There he was again! Sitting on the branch over my fantails. As soon as I focused the camera on him - he flew off into the brush, down low as if to hide! And hide he did - I couldn't find him, but my yard is extremely quiet. Not a bird or squirrel in site. Got a better look at him (because I wasn't in a panic like yesterday), HUGE, tan with black flecks on wings, lighter colored head. Guess he's planning on hanging around for awhile.

[floppy109909]

keep me updated on the hawk i want to know what happens

[Msfreebird]

He (she) hung around all day. I was on the other side of the yard this afternoon cutting kindling wood and he flew over my head and landed in the tree as if to watch what I was doing!
It's really weird - the yard and woods are extremely "quiet". No birds, squirrels or chipmunks. Their usually everywhere!

[little bird]

I really believe it has to be a juvenile and if he watched you all day......he's sleeping on an empty belly. Tomorrow he likely will be much bolder as he is really hungry. Keep an eye out he doesn't try to get INTO the flight screen.

[Msfreebird]

I thought about that! So I took some extra precautions - I had some left over chain link fence. I hung it around the loft flight cage, aviary and fantails cage like a curtain in case he dives at the wire
The homers and tumblers are aware he's around - even when not visible. They are staying at the top of the flight cage, peeking out under the roof line. It has a very steep metal roof with a 1 foot overhang, so their safe especially with the chain link hanging from the roof line. The fantails, on the other hand don't seem too smart - their strutting around in their cage like nothings wrong!
I can't help but feel bad for him - I know he's hungry, I just don't want him dining on my pets! One of my cats has been missing for 1 month. And he was 24 pounds!

[philodice]

That's no hawk. Your description fits that of a GOLDEN EAGLE. A juvenile golden eagle. Perhaps a year or two old.

[Msfreebird]

Originally Posted by philodice

That's no hawk. Your description fits that of a GOLDEN EAGLE. A juvenile golden eagle. Perhaps a year or two old.

Back on my first post I said -" hold on I have to check something", thats what I was checking! It looks more like a Golden Eagle but I ruled it out because it said they were rare in this area. So my second guess (from pictures) was juvenile red tail hawk. Its just WAY TOO BIG though, and tan all over (with black flecks and lighter head). Didn't see any bars or white!

[philodice]

Originally Posted by Msfreebird

Back on my first post I said -" hold on I have to check something", thats what I was checking! It looks more like a Golden Eagle but I ruled it out because it said they were rare in this area. So my second guess (from pictures) was juvenile red tail hawk. Its just WAY TOO BIG though, and tan all over (with black flecks and lighter head). Didn't see any bars or white!

Not as rare as they used to be. And I have seen more than ever lately as well. It is quite often that these birds get mixed up with something else. As a matter of fact, I located a stuffed 'night hawk' from an estate garage sale, that turned out to be a young golden eagle. Found as road kill by an amatuer taxadermist 4 decades ago, this artifact was recovered after that person's death and placed in proper hands but was listed in the paper as a 'stuffed owl or oil bird'. The moment I saw it, I knew it instantly for what it was.