HAWKS! What do I do?

[WHITEWING]

I live in an area where there are a lot of hawks. I have recently lost 2 birds to the hawks. The first time, it was a red tail. It got one of my birds, and began eating it in the garden. I ran out, and the hawk flew away with my bird. I chased it down the street yelling at it. It finally landed on a bush. i grabbed the hawk by the tail, and after putting up a fight, dropped the bird to the ground. She was still concious, and alive , so i brought her back home. There was nothing to be done for her. Her sides had already been eaten, to the point that you could seee into her. We put her down to end the suffering.
again today I lost a bird right when I was standing outside with them. it is getting pretty bad. WHAT SHOULD I DO? please help.

[raynjudy]

You're not alone. Ray just got an email from a woman, heartbroken over the loss of two pigeons...

Lock them up securely for a few days. I know, I know, but it's a lesser evil than being torn to shreds by a raptor. Do not feed birds anywhere with a line of sight to the open sky!

Change feed and water as usual, but without releasing the pigeons!

Hawks are all attitude. They're cool and they know it! Evolution did an awesome job on the hawk. And he's plenty smart. He's found a buffet with your loft...

Nail a blanket or tarp up over the loft door and get beneath it when you enter, if your birds can leave by that exit. This will also stop the hawk from slipping through the door easily. Do not leave an unlocked loft unattended.

If you were able to physically grab the hawk, well, I'm amazed at that! Could somebody nearby be feeding it?

Hunger will drive the hawk elsewhere in a few days. Like all birds, his metabolism is fast and he must eat. But he may well check in again! Forever watch the skies and scan the trees with binoculars.

Bigbird? Walt? What else can be done?

--Judy

[bigbird]

What to do about hawks? Keep your birds locked up.
Summer months the hawks go north, this is when I let my birds fly.
Winter months my birds fly in a large fly pen. Hawks land on the top but cannot reach the birds.
If you let your birds fly during hawk season they will not be safe in the air.
Regards,
Big Bird

[WHITEWING]

Thankyou so much. I will try all of these suggestions. Ray, It was a good thought, about the hawk being tamely fed, but I think that it was as scared as I was. It was flapping it's wings, and squwaking and trying to bite me. i am a good runner, and I guess when you really want something, you get this amazing power that lets you do it. Pretty amazing huh? I am keeping them locked up now, in attempt to make the hawks find food elsewhere. I also heard that crows will chase hawks away. Is this true If it is, I don't know why it isn't working.--We have even more crows around here than hawks! That's a lot! Anyway, thanks a lot everyone.
Sincerely:WHITEWING

[ONEEYEPIGEON]

Whitewing ,So sorry to here you having this Hawk problem, I also had trpuble with one Hawk i had to shot my shotgun to chase it away i didnt try to hit it just put a little scare in it im in the country so i know they can fine a little rabbit or somethink else to feast on . I dont think the crows scare them at all i have crows all over the place.
i have been keeping a real close eye on my birds . I only let them out to fly about once a week and only for a short time . The waving of a red flag helps me bring them in ,Also they know when i let them out they are real hungery so they come in fast . Well i hope you dont lose any more . Wow you got your hands on one that must of been scary look at those claws and beek be carefull . Walt

[lukekerttu]

dude that sux i mean have a hawk eat your pigeons that is very gross and i'm sorry about the pigeons you lost is there hawks in houghton michigan i hope not i wish there wuz something we could do like catch them in a live trap and bring them some where and let them go well gtg

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luke

[raynjudy]

You most certainly do have hawks of one variety or another in Michigan.

I've seen hawks stand by a gopher hole in my front yard with cars rolling by; I've seen a falcon setting on the roof of my car gazing steadily at Judy while she prepared to feed the starlings--and we live in Milwaukee!

Redtail Hawks and falcons are known to nest in major cities. Most hawks migrate, but always beware the raptor! Nature has given it deadly ability and skill.

Watch the trees and the skies and don't fly your pigeons with a hawk in the area, as it may then hang out and wait for the "buffet"
you provide.

Walt has experience with this and so does bigbird...

--Ray

[Spinners]

I live here in the city already lost six birds to hawks. Two cameback yesterday after being gone for two days. I was suprised to see so many hawks in my area. I had 14 birds down to 4 now. I keep two in my garage for breeding.

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USN RETIRED

[TerriB]

How heartbreaking to lose your birds like that! We live under a stand of large evergreens and have numerous hawks in the area. Our birds stay safe inside their flight pen!

------------------
Terri B

[Birdmom4ever]

I'm so sorry for your losses, Whitewing. Bigbird is right--the only surefire way to keep your pigeons safe is to keep them locked up. Hawks will be hawks; they are just trying to survive. If you keep your pigeons in, they can't be eaten. Is it possible for you to build a large flight onto your loft?

I learned this the hard way. We tried various strategies: letting our pigeons out at different times of day, keeping them in for several weeks and then letting them out, etc. The Cooper's hawks are sneaky and we never saw them until they were on our pigeons. We also tried only flying them in the spring and summer, but you don't know for sure when the hawks come and leave again, so that is iffy. They surprised us last summer by coming back early.

I miss seeing my pigeons free-fly, but they have a big loft for exercise. I don't miss the feeling of having my heart in my throat whenever I let them out. Even when hawks aren't around, there are other hazards. If you can't stand losing pigeons, don't fly them. My pigeons are pets and I'm incapable of maintaining a detached attitude toward them. Many people can fly them and live with the risk, and I'm not criticizing them for doing so, but I'm not one of them. Here in California we have Cooper's hawks around 6-8 months out of the year, so it's just not worth it.



[This message has been edited by Birdmom4ever (edited January 17, 2004).]

[Rick07]

Yes, hawks are a real threat in the winter. Since my loft is near a wooded area, the hawks seem to be really sneaky. I only suffered one loss this year, but she seemed to be feeling ill, cause she wasnt flying fast as usual! But mainly coopers or sharpshinned hawks attack, rarly will a red tail. Just for the shear fact of it being so large and easily spotted, and the only way a red tailed can catch a pigeon is on the ground its a slim chance. But on the other hand coopers and sharp shinned hawks will attempt to catch them in the air, but mainly when the land or are on the ground. But once the hawk is spotted my pigeons take off and are really swift to get into the air. But losing one of my pets in heart breaking, but the only thing u can do is keep them locked up and just think of the best. Some tips that work near me which is in the Northeast Us is fly them in the day!!!
Fly them hungry so they return quickly
Dont let them be out around dusk or in the morning.
I hope you have luck with the remaining birds of ur flock
AND ONCE AGAIN IM SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE LOSS

[~pigeonlover~]

hi all once a sparrow hawk waited out of sight for me to let out a certain pigeon off mine it was a silver back tippler when it left my hand it came from behide me and grabbed it and both fell into my small bush beside the loft, i was lucky it dropped it and flew into my window i tryed to catch it but it was only dizzy for a second.

[This message has been edited by ~pigeonlover~ (edited January 17, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by ~pigeonlover~ (edited January 17, 2004).]

[~pigeonlover~]

i bought a pigeon that has half its wing ripped in pieces by a hawk it was bleeding bad cause feathers was cut in half fixed it up and gave it a second chance plus i got 1 with an amputated wing 1 with a broken wing and 1 with half its wing amputated giving them all a second chance in life.

[This message has been edited by ~pigeonlover~ (edited January 17, 2004).]

[Gorby619]

Shoot it. A .22 Rifle works the best.

[TAWhatley]

Gorby and all .. sorry .. shooting the hawk is not an option unless you would like to get hauled into Federal Court and face a huge fine as well as significant jail time. Hawks of all types are protected under state and federal law in the U.S.

Also, please note that this thread was started almost three years ago .. someone found it and started posting. I would suggest that any current hawk posts should be put in a new thread.

Terry


[This message has been edited by TAWhatley (edited January 19, 2004).]