# feeding the Hawks



## Norm2475 (Jul 20, 2009)

I started with 8 white pigeons in August and now only have 2. Does anyone have any ideas of how to protect your pigeons from hawks. Sunday one was gotten about 30 feet behind my loft. It is like they are watching my loft but I can't see them.


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2010)

if you want them to live you will keep them locked in .. winter is the worst time of year to fly ones birds as the hawks are the at their most hungry with little else to prey on.. and yes the hawks are watching your loft so I would say you should keep them in until the spring .


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## yopigeonguy (Oct 22, 2009)

LokotaLoft said:


> if you want them to live you will keep them locked in .. winter is the worst time of year to fly ones birds as the hawks are the at their most hungry with little else to prey on.. and yes the hawks are watching your loft so I would say you should keep them in until the spring .


I will second that!!!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

you can't fly your birds untill the hawk goes else where.... how long that takes... who knows... too bad you only have 2 left, wish you would of asked this sooner.


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## Norm2475 (Jul 20, 2009)

Yeah, I thought it was bad to keep them locked up.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Norm2475 said:


> Yeah, I thought it was bad to keep them locked up.


common sense can help you out alot when it comes to pigeons.... people tend to feel like they may make a mistake if they use their own judgement.... keeping pigeons is not always black and white, everyone has their own ideas through trial and error.


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## Gnuretiree (May 29, 2009)

Where are you located? Here in Connecticut most flyers watch for the return of the Robins, Grackles and Blackbirds before they start flying their birds again. Some people try to encourage crows to hang around to make the hawks life a little more miserable. They also help you find the hawks more easily.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

u can also make it more miserable for the hawks by yelling and tossing rocks (not enough to hurt them or if your like me couldn't hit them if i tried, i throw like a girl!) at them every time you see them, they get sick of me messing up their hunting pretty fast and move on


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## Avion (May 28, 2007)

Buy a crow call and when you see the hawk, blow it like crazy. It makes them nervous and they will shy away from the noise.


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## jmaxpsi (Jul 31, 2009)

I just got done yelling and jumping like a crazy man outside today. I sure redirected his hunting tactics. I've seen one so desperate and it was chasing little house sparrows into our orange tree in the backyard. Mainly I distract them when they are chasing mourning doves and some wild released ring necks. These doves reside in my property. 
As for flying, wait till spring. My birds are grounded for now. I miss flying them but it's not worth the trouble.


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## becege (Mar 12, 2003)

I fly only in the late afternoon, The hawks are usually done eating by then and not on the prowl, Fly an hour and a half before sunset and feed your birds when they come down. I fly Oriental Rollers and never lost a bird to hawks this year here in the Midwest. Had only one attack on a young bird flying ertatically and not with the kit. The hawk attacked but missed. You will always draw hawks if you fly early in the morning.


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

Avion said:


> Buy a crow call and when you see the hawk, blow it like crazy. It makes them nervous and they will shy away from the noise.


Avion, I like that idea! A crow call, wow!


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## Norm2475 (Jul 20, 2009)

These are some good ideas. Thanks. I stopped letting the birds out here. I would take them away and let them home. I thought that would protect them. To know all three had made it home . I had seen them but they had not gone into the loft yet. It just makes me sick. I am going to keep them in until spring. I am also going to get a crow call. I hope I have a male and a female so they will breed in the spring.


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## amoonswirl (Nov 14, 2006)

One roller flyer I know uses a recording of hawk distress calls and crow calls. Whenever he's about to let the pigeons out, he puts the recording on a constant loop, and plays it until they return.

Still - I would keep them locked down until Spring. Hope you don't lose any more.


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## jmaxpsi (Jul 31, 2009)

Thats a very good idea. I imitate a pigeon call for danger when they see bigger birds in flight above them. It sounds like ooooooh with a short "o" sound. I teach them and imitate it when I see planes, crows, vultures, seagulls, and especially the hawks and the crows. They tilt their head to one side and look up with one eye. It really works.


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