# The Hawks Are Killing Me!! :(



## vasyapersikov (Feb 29, 2008)

any ideas what i can do to prevent them. i started with 13 this year and have only 4 left. here is a pic of one in my yard! With my Bird! In pieces


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Don't fly your birds for a while. There is nothing else you can do.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

How tragic for you and I'm sure you're devastated over the losses. Seeing something like that is really awful. 

There is really little you can do and as Charis suggested, perhaps stop flying them for awhile and the hawk(s) will move on. I don't race or fly pigeons but if I did, I would keep them in for awhile.

Anyone who does fly their birds is taking a risk every time they are out. It's like a game of Russian roulette. 

Sorry about your pigeons, and I know it's hard not to feel anger towards the hawk(s).


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## trailbound (Apr 11, 2007)

Welcome to my world. If you figure out something that works, please do share. What kind of hawk is it, do you know? Up here the goshawks are decimating my loft, and there is nothing I can do.


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## Snowbird Sue (Dec 31, 2007)

I am no expert, but it looks like a cooper to me. Where are you located? Here in MI.. we have coopers, red-tail's and shin-tails. That bugger looks like the cooper. Sorry about your birds, i can't even imagine going thru that! Try to keep the other 4 locked in in for their safety.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I'am not experienced on this yet, but I've read in other post that when the time comes to let them out again do so an hour before dark and stay out with your birds and keep your eyes peeled. maybe you can detour it. and train to trap your birds so they trap quik as possible. sorry about your loss.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

This year a hawk killed my call duck X-mas day last year a cooper hawk killed one of my bantam hens. this is why I will not let any pigeons fly loose.

My question... could a person shoot a hawk with a paint ball gun, not to kill but just to scare it away?  

I don't want to kill them they have to eat too but I have fields and fields full of wild 4 legged munchies that they can hunt.

Anybody have an answer to my ?????


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

EgypSwiftLady said:


> This year a hawk killed my call duck X-mas day last year a cooper hawk killed one of my bantam hens. this is why I will not let any pigeons fly loose.
> 
> *My question... could a person shoot a hawk with a paint ball gun, not to kill but just to scare it away?*
> 
> ...


A while back an innocent person was riding their bike to work early one morning. Some low life thought it would be fun to target this person & shoot them with a paint ball. Sadly, the innocent person was killed.

My guess is, if the paint ball connects with the hawk, it *will* kill it.

Shooting *anything* in the air has the potential of tragic consequences.

Cindy


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

AZWhitefeather said:


> A while back an innocent person was riding their bike to work early one morning. Some low life thought it would be fun to target this person & shoot them with a paint ball. Sadly, the innocent person was killed.
> 
> My guess is, if the paint ball connects with the hawk, it *will* kill it.
> 
> ...



I was afraid of that, I know that if you get hit with a paint ball you end up with a large painful lump and a big bruise 

Too bad fire crackers couldn't be shot up so they would pop by them and scare the hawks.

Thanks Cindy.


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## Shrek (Apr 2, 2008)

DDT  J/K ......well kinda


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

EgypSwiftLady said:


> My question... could a person shoot a hawk with a paint ball gun, not to kill but just to scare it away?


Surely if you hit a hawk with a paintball you run the risk of killing it inadvertently or in any case damaging its plumage and rendering it unable to fly properly?

This could be construed, I'd have thought, as causing harm or suffering to a protected species

John


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

I didn't know they would even be able to take hens 

I think squirting them with a hose is a great approach. If he comes close enough (like my own local nemesis) and is engrossed enough in working out the problem of how to get to the pidgies...you might be able to squirt he before he sees you coming. I have only gotten him one time, last summer. I usually settle for waving my arms running across the yard and yelling like a lunatic. I do wonder what my neighbors are saying about me.


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## ND Cooper (Mar 4, 2008)

It's illeagal to harass wildlife in any manner, and i'm sure that the penalties are pretty stiff.


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## little bird (Aug 11, 2006)

It seems logical to me that the paint is shot and travels as a BALL, therefore it must hit with enough force to burst the covering of the ball. That tells me it will be extremely harmful to a bird, even if it doesn't break and cover the bird in paint, somewhat the same effect as a BB pellet. I say no to any thoughts of using paint guns as a deterant to hawks.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

First young birds Are not ready for hawk attacks. They have to be come wing strong first to be able to out fly the hawk. Then they have to become hawk alert. Now this is a bred in facter,but The bird needs its hawk smart sence. If held in In areas where hawks are in larger numbers or stay year around You want them to have an aivery that lets them see the sky well. This will halp them get the sence of where home is, Then when you let them out I think close to dark say an hour Helps keep them from just taking off. Sure you may loose a few this way. BUT not as many to the old hawk. After they are flying good They can out think the hawk better. BUT remember to have extra hungry young birds so they trap as soon as they land. And stay with them while you loft fly. You might want to not feed them the day you fly them So you can get them to trap faster then feed them. At first might start with 2 days a week then move up from there. Now mine are flying just as good as old birds And Right now I let them fly about 2 hours befor dark. But will later fly them 2 times a day. They even run a hawk off the other day. It flew over A red tail They started up to its altitude then fly towrds it bumping its wing It faultered in flight and left Thought that was a smart move.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

TheSnipes said:


> I didn't know they would even be able to take hens
> 
> 
> Bantams are a very small chicken, she had escaped her enclosed pen so that why the cooper could get her.


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## jhutto (Sep 17, 2007)

Here is what a hawk or eagle can do. 

http://www.break.com/index/eagle-drags-goats-off-cliff.html


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

OK, the paint ball thing was just an idea, the shooting fire crackers was just a thought, both were shot down( so to speak ) 

What about mounting one of those motion dector water squirter things, the ones they use for deer, on a tall pole or loft roof? Would a hawk be able to set it off when they come into get a pigeon?


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

jhutto said:


> Here is what a hawk or eagle can do.
> 
> http://www.break.com/index/eagle-drags-goats-off-cliff.html




Thanks, I know what they can do... I'm just thinking about ways to stop them from trying it with MY birds... without killing the hawk.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

* Here are some of the things that you can do and should do.............. 1.Before you let your birds out to fly look to see if the wild birds are active, are they mormal or are they very quite, if they are quite you must assume that there is a preditor in the area it could be a dog,cat or hawk so look around.Don't let your birds out, until you are sure that it is clear. You must under stand how the Coopers hawk hunts. he will sit in a near by tree and wait. he rarely dives from great hights so when you look for him he will be sitting in a near by tree.He is not going to sit all day at your loft,he has area's where he has made a kill and he will check them out..........2. If you have crows in your area they will sound the alarm. so feed the crows. Crows make a lot of noise when fighting over food but when sounding a warning it is very different you will hear one bird sounding the alarm then another from a different location will sound and others will harass the hawk until it leaves I have watched them do this many times. ......3.WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR BIRDS OUT FLYING NEVER NEVER LEAVE THE AREA UNTIL YOU HAVE ALL YOUR BIRDS TRAPED IN. So when your birds land don't let them sit around on the loft or landing board. Thats it for now .. GEORGE *


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

george simon said:


> * Here are some of the things that you can do and should do.............. 1.Before you let your birds out to fly look to see if the wild birds are active, are they mormal or are they very quite, if they are quite you must assume that there is a preditor in the area it could be a dog,cat or hawk so look around.Don't let your birds out, until you are sure that it is clear. You must under stand how the Coopers hawk hunts. he will sit in a near by tree and wait. he rarely dives from great hights so when you look for him he will be sitting in a near by tree.He is not going to sit all day at your loft,he has area's where he has made a kill and he will check them out..........2. If you have crows in your area they will sound the alarm. so feed the crows. Crows make a lot of noise when fighting over food but when sounding a warning it is very different you will hear one bird sounding the alarm then another from a different location will sound and others will harass the hawk until it leaves I have watched them do this many times. ......3.WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR BIRDS OUT FLYING NEVER NEVER LEAVE THE AREA UNTIL YOU HAVE ALL YOUR BIRDS TRAPED IN. So when your birds land don't let them sit around on the loft or landing board. Thats it for now .. GEORGE *


Very sound advice all the way around. 

With the prosecution of the faciers in California, the authorities are on the lookout for any behavior that might be seen as harassment. I would certainly not encourage it. I think what George mentions is all great advice. My strategy this year has been to fly them in the late afternoon/ early evening. Now that they are routing well there seems to be less of a threat but when I was settling them I did have problems. We have nesting crows in the area and they are a tremendous help. They are very territorial and will chase off hawks if they see them. We put out whole corn in the yard to feed the crows to keep them around. So far, knock on wood, using the above strategies, I have only lost two youngsters out of 29 to hawks. Now, having said that I will probably loose 4 today! I think that is pretty good considering.

You just have to find ways to work with mother nature I guess...or risk going to jail!

Dan


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

TheSnipes said:


> I didn't know they would even be able to take hens
> 
> I think squirting them with a hose is a great approach. If he comes close enough (like my own local nemesis) and is engrossed enough in working out the problem of how to get to the pidgies...you might be able to squirt he before he sees you coming. I have only gotten him one time, last summer. I usually settle for waving my arms running across the yard and yelling like a lunatic. I do wonder what my neighbors are saying about me.


I have a mental image of me doing this same thing... it makes me lol


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## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

EgypSwiftLady said:


> OK, the paint ball thing was just an idea, the shooting fire crackers was just a thought, both were shot down( so to speak )
> 
> What about mounting one of those motion dector water squirter things, the ones they use for deer, on a tall pole or loft roof? Would a hawk be able to set it off when they come into get a pigeon?


Now I have often pondered this. I would love to afix one to the roof of my loftand try it. Trouble is, I'd probably mostly hit innocent little blackbirds and sparrows who like to come visit the pidgies.


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## vasyapersikov (Feb 29, 2008)

I was shout thousands of times with a painball and im still alive! how can someone die from it? will a crow call work, if i blow it before letting the bird out?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

TheSnipes said:


> I didn't know they would even be able to take hens
> 
> I think squirting them with a hose is a great approach. If he comes close enough (like my own local nemesis) and is engrossed enough in working out the problem of how to get to the pidgies...you might be able to squirt he before he sees you coming. I have only gotten him one time, last summer. I usually settle for waving my arms running across the yard and yelling like a lunatic. I do wonder what my neighbors are saying about me.


LOL...I do the yelling like a lunatic thing too. I know what my neighbors say about me!


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

vasyapersikov said:


> I was shout thousands of times with a painball and im still alive!
> 
> *how can someone die from it?*


Unlike those who play the 'paint ball' game, the person I was referring to wasn't wearing protective gear & from what I understand was hit in a vital area causing fatal injuries.

Cindy


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## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

I have played paint ball also and at one time was hit point blank range and only received a bruise, yes it stung but saying someone was killed by a paint ball without backing it up is saying too much IMHO, the velocity of these guns is not all that, usually 300 feet per second and if someone shot it up in the air it would be much less, these paint balls are made to break easily, I think a bb gun is twice as dangerous as a paint ball gun! In my entire lifetime I've never heard of a gun killing anyone, it's always the person behind it!


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## eric98223 (Aug 4, 2007)

ok my question is how long are these birds going to be listed as protected??. they were once dwindling in numbers but are now thriving. maybe it is time to start contacting fish and wildlife. there comes a point where they leave protected and become over populated.


just my opinion


a friend of mine had one trap into his loft the other day. luckily he only got one bird and was freaked out trying to get out. it was a coopers.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

DEEJAY7950 said:


> *saying someone was killed by a paint ball without backing it up* is saying too much IMHO,


Indeed, I should have had the information at hand prior to posting. 
Although the incident was some time ago, I will do some research to see if I can find the particulars.

Cindy


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## Cuddie (Apr 26, 2008)

If you dont want to lose anymore, you have to stop flying your birds for a while, lockdown,and also, you should observe when the hawks are active.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

vasyapersikov said:


> will a crow call work, if i blow it before letting the bird out?[/B]


Hello, 

A crow call won't do anything to deter a hawk from coming around. Hawks are not afraid of crows, they are simply pests to the hawks.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

The best thing to do is like everyone else said, keep them in for a while. Hawks won't stick around long if they have nothing to eat.
Also, if there's any way possible to attrack as many owls and crows as you can to live near your house, that would be nice. Hawks don't like them much. Setting up an army of brave little mocking birds would be good too


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2008)

how does one attract owls lol is there a trick to that ? Im in deep negotiations with some crows at the moment thou so will see what comes of that in the long run


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Owls will kill the pigeons also. A person here had a horned owl get in his loft.


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## Guest (Apr 27, 2008)

if an owl can get into your loft at night then you really have something wrong with your loft setup  its amazing they have any pigeons left ,with a ***** in your armor like that a raccoon could take out every bird you have in one night


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

LokotaLoft said:


> if an owl can get into your loft at night then you really have something wrong with your loft setup  its amazing they have any pigeons left ,with a ***** in your armor like that a raccoon could take out every bird you have in one night


It was not m,y loft. But a person in the race club. They did not lock there trap down And it got in. I was saying this AS owls will get pigeons to. Only thing that gets in my loft is Me and the birds.


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## ND Cooper (Mar 4, 2008)

Here! here!  
(My Wife even has to ask me, if she can let my pigeons out!)


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## scuba0095 (May 23, 2006)

the only thing that works is start feeding crows, magpies, ravens, jays, sea gulls, king birds

Keep a relationship with any or better yet all of those wild birds and you wont have to worry about hawks

The other day i saw a raven harass a red tail hawk so bad that it did not leave the hawk alone until all its tail feathers were missing! A hawk will leave an area he was being attacked by other birds because while being attacked there is no way he is going to hunt!

Trust me I have had this problem before!


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2008)

there will never really be a time when you cant worry about hawks but having allies lessens the losses thats for sure


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## scuba0095 (May 23, 2006)

I keep chickens and i just feed the crows their eggs

I feed sea gulls scraps of dinner any kind of meat and cat food


Do not try and attract great horned owls though because they wont just eat the hawks they will also try and eat the crows gulls and ANYTHING else (including your cat or small dog) at night! These owls do LOVE to eat hawks though!


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

I noticed today The kite hawks are back. Around here that means NO more coopers or redtails will be around. As the kite hawks run them off. And pigeons are safe with them.


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