# How do I scare off.......



## beausmammy (Nov 12, 2006)

Hi,
I have noticed a considerable decline in the number of wild birds/doves in my garden...my pigeon loft is situated about 15 metres away from my wild bird station, alongside a fairly large wild pond...I do have herons that visit along with water rats, the odd duck, a pheasant and some wild bunnies, Also there are a number of hawks and maybe even a kestrel, one of my fantails has signs of an attack, although I didn't see antything and I am presently nursing a wild dove which was nearly killed by a hawk. I was just wondering if there is anything I can use to scare off the hawks?...they certainly aren't nesting in the garden...I think they just visit to snack on the local wildlife!!! This has me really worried as I know food will be getting scarce and the hawks will be getting hungrier.
any advice will be appreciated.........thanks Jayne


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## beausmammy (Nov 12, 2006)

just to add...please don't think that I could hurt anything!!! I would just like them to think twice about coming into my garden.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Keep your birds on "lock-down"... inside the loft and stop feeding the wild birds / animals for several weeks. This _may_ ecourage the hawks to move on. Good luck.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Jayne,

This is a link to advice from the RSPB on deterring hawks from visiting your garden :

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/unwantedvisitors/deterrents/sparrowhawk_deterrents.asp

I used to think that their kills were "clean", but I think that is just a matter of chance, there have been too many partially eaten but still living rescues, so you are wise to protect your own garden birds from them. 

I think that hawks are beautiful birds but on balance I would rather the hawk went hungry than have little birds eaten alive every day.

Cynthia


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Raptor deterrence*

Hello Jayne,

The feral pigeons here in Cologne like to hang around church squares (where they can perch on the lower levels of architecture) and forage for scraps left by humans. They also hand around bakeries, where people buy fresh bread, and often drink tea and coffee along with sweet rolls, and bread rolls with a slice of cheese or sandwich meat. Most of these places are centrallly located at intersections and thoroughfares, and the most popular ones are where thick, fairly visible streetcar overhead power lines criss-cross, and where there are adjacent trees. 

The criss-crossing power lines and the foliage and branches large trees discourage swift-diving raptors. (The tree foliage in summer provides cover for hiding, the plain branches in winter merely hinder diving).

Since the city of Cologne has a couple of falcons (or more) or birds of prey nesting in one of the steeples of the Dom (main cathedral) for a couple of years or so now, the feral pigeons are alerted by crows when the raptors are around, and there are sentinel pigeons sitting on high perches to warn others. I can now usually tell by the way the pigeons are flying that they are warning all other pigeons of present or imminent danger. If there is a solitary pigeon (for example my adult male pigeon *Wieteke* eating seeds at the window flower box) and no other pigeons in sight, he will use evasive manouvres when taking off. He alternates and varies take-off patterns and directions and goals. He flies close to buildings, close to the ground, swoops and zig-zags around corners of buildings and trees. He stays close to obstacles so that a diving bird has a very narrow approach, a "window of attack" that is open for only a few brief moments before the pigeon is out of sight and safe around a corner. More pigeons around provide more safety.

I looked at the reference website provided by Cynthia. Hanging CDs, lines, et cetera around your garden. The vision that came readily to mind was that of a "hippy" sculptural garden or junkyard. Even if the hawk were agile and highly manouverable, he might just want to stay away from the display of poor aesthetic taste. LOL. 

Larry


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## beausmammy (Nov 12, 2006)

Thank you all so much...I feel torn between the love of everything that lives and breathes (with the exception of most people!!) and protecting the weak...the dove that I rescued was just about skinned alive, I really don't know how she survived..(.now I can't bare to part with her...but that's another story.lol ) I've watched and fed my garden birds ever since I moved here....I wonder if I try to cover the feeding station a little more...there are some trees...maybe I should get planting.... my fantails back was quite badly ripped open, but has healed well. The RSPB said that more often than not if the actual attack doesn't kill the bird then they very often fall foul to very dirty infected talons, dieing of infection days later...they really are awful... it wouldn't be so bad if they killed their prey out right.(well you know what I mean) as if the winter isn't hard enough for them...but then I suppose it's hard for the hawks too... I only wish they ate dog doody!!! with 12 dogs i've got enough to keep them going all year round lol..anyway thanks again...Jayne x


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