# HAWK Survivor



## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

Well it finally happened even though I knew better then to let my birds out. It was such a beautiful day on Sunday and I was going to be outside working I decided what the heck and let out about 40 of my birds for one last fly. For Sure it is now. 
It was about 7 pm and I went into the house to see how the wife was doing. no sooner then I sat down we heard a load thump, the wife said car door and I said I don't think so and ran outside. Sure enough a cooper had snatched one of the birds from the roof and took it down to the ground. I ran even faster and could have smacked the hawk as it was taking off, thank somebody it left the bird. She started to run from me but I was able to grasp her up, as I was walking to the house I noticed puncture wounds on her back and blood coming from her nostrils. I was not holding her tight because I did know her injuries and she got loose and flew on top of the loft.

At this time I felt she would be OK and calmed down a bit. I let her rest a little while I went to get a net. She was easy to get at this point. I looked her over and put some neosporin on the wounds I could see and the bleeding from the nose had stopped. I then put her in a heated cage for the night. I did not want to write about this just in case it was another sad ending but here is a pic from today. She is still a little scruff-ed up but she is also in molt. I am going to rejoin her to her friends today, I do believe she is lonely. >Kevin


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Oh I'm so sorry this happened. I hope she's OK.
That's why I just can't free fly my birds....I have too many resident hawks that circle daily at all different hours.
Most of my birds have NEVER been out of the loft (well, except for one little hen that got out the door a couple years ago  she came back and NEVER went near the door again ), so they don't know what their missing. The rescue's I took in show no desire to go out.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*doing fine*

She is doing great, I know one thing for sure, if I did not react to the sound of the bird hitting the roof it surly would have been the end for her, I am thinking seconds form disaster. I don't know at this time who feels luckier but she seems prety happy and will eat out of my hand so I am going to put her back with the others. I have flown all my birds every weekend since the end of may with no problems. As we all know though it is migration time and there are more hawks and less birds for them to prey on and when they find out where a meal can be found they won't leave. My birds are all on lock down for winter. >Kevin


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Oh man, pretty lucky that you were up there at the right moment.


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## yvannava (Jul 10, 2010)

i was flying my birds for the last time and im missing one. and then another of my birds came back 2 days later with puncture wounds and bunch of tail feathers missing but at least it got a way


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*OH man is right*



sreeshs said:


> Oh man, pretty lucky that you were up there at the right moment.



You truly do not know the feeling, I could not believe what I was seing. I don't know how I managed not to yell and just ran to my bird. I am 53 years and I ran like a teen, My heart was beating at 200 and I really should not be doing things like that but my birds are my kids now. I truly did save this one and I do not look forward to this again. In all fairness, it was a very pretty cooper and would have made a nice pic.>Kevin


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Glad you were paying attention and she survived the attack. Might be a good idea to have on a 4-5 day course of antibiotics to make she does not pick up an infection from the hawk's talons.

Good luck with her,

Karyn


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*Mind reader*



Dobato said:


> Glad you were paying attention and she survived the attack. Might be a good idea to have on a 4-5 day course of antibiotics to make she does not pick up an infection from the hawk's talons.
> 
> Good luck with her,
> 
> Karyn


WOW, that's what my thoughts where as I was going to put her back with the others. It really was not that bad of a wound and there where 3 more marks on her side but no puncture. Birds do carry diseases and it is possible there could be infection of some sort, I am keeping her in ISO for a few more days. I don't see a reason as of now to start any antibiotic but I am prepared to do so. She/we where truly lucky, I just checked on her and she is saying let me out of here, I feel bad but as I said I am going to keep a good watch on her a few more day's. >Kevin


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Kevin, although the extent of a wound(s) can play a role when deciding whether to place a bird on prophylactic antibiotic treatment, with predator wounds, the wound(s) themselves do not have to be severe in nature, even a small puncture is a concern. What the worry is that certain bacteria that can be carried on the talons can be introduced into a bird's body, at the puncture sites and infect a bird. These infections, when they occur, can take a few days to develop and what may look like a bird making a steady recovery, can suddenly take a turn for the worse and treating with a correct antibiotic will address this concern. Many times people do not treat and the bird goes on to make a complete recovery, but there are times when a bird does not survive because they did become infected through the attack.

Karyn


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Kevin,



Yes...get this Pigeon onto a regimen of Antibiotics, such as Enroflaxyn, "now".


If systemic infection is begun, the Bird will tend to appear fine for three days, then, rapidly wilt and die.


Even wounds too small to see any sign of can be enough for the Bacteria to enter their system.



Good luck!



Phil
Las Vegas


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

GOOD SAVE kev.rEALLY GLAD YOU GOT TO HIM AND THE HAWK WENT HUNGRY.iT GETS THE OLD TICKER RACING THOUGH DONT IT.hAD ONE DO THE SAME TO ME A WHILE BACK.lUCKILY FOR ME AND MY BIRD I WAS ON DOG POO PATROL IN THE BACK YARD WITH A RATHER LARGE SWEEPING BRUSH.


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## Knoc (Jul 10, 2010)

Good to hear it survived and is doing well. Damn hawks.


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## yvannava (Jul 10, 2010)

man i would have shot it down. work hard for some good birds then WHAM something took your best bird.


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## Pigeon lower (Oct 23, 2007)

yvannava said:


> man i would have shot it down. work hard for some good birds then WHAM something took your best bird.


Hey there, i know your new kinda of and all that but here on pigeon-talk they do not tollerate that type of stuff so please watch what you say. Thought id warn you now before it got out of hands


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## WildFlush (Feb 17, 2010)

Glad to hear you saved her Kevin.

Question for those of you on lock down. Do your birds remember how to trap when you start flying again next Spring? Or do you have to do a little remedial training on the landing board? 

I had a real hard time getting my birds to trap nicely. Now that they are, I'm a little worried about not flying them for the next 6 months. That said, I don't want them to become hawk bait either.


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

They should remember, i dont use traps myself but i wrote a thread yesterday i think about a friend of mine who had a bird return after being missing for over a year.This bird trapped after all that time so i would guess they remember.


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## Chilangz (Apr 3, 2008)

Good to hear that she is making progress......


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Pigeons don't easily forget. But they do have an amazing capacity to move on after the death of a mate.

Hopefully that lucky bird learned a lesson.


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## Knoc (Jul 10, 2010)

yvannava said:


> man i would have shot it down. work hard for some good birds then WHAM something took your best bird.


 Pretty sure its illegal to shoot hawks too. At least here in Mn. Im pretty sure it is. Its just nature.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*Shooting hawks*



Knoc said:


> Pretty sure its illegal to shoot hawks too. At least here in Mn. Im pretty sure it is. Its just nature.


 To my knowledge it is against federal law to shoot any birds of pray in every State. I am not sure on penalties but I am sure, I am not going to find out by chance. 

I held off on antibiotic but I did use ACV in her water. She is doing real good and I am going to put her back were she belongs. I have read a couple of other post's and one about a hawk watching the loft. Trust me, it does not matter if you are out there with the birds as soon as you walk away for one minute the hawk will strike. I have Even read many stories on here saying that hawk had attacked one of there birds as they where standing there. This time of year is lock down and stay down for me, I am not going to watch this again. >Kevin


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## yvannava (Jul 10, 2010)

u said it.


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## WildFlush (Feb 17, 2010)

Kevin, when you start flying again in the Spring, will you do any training in terms of trapping or does it stick with them?


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## tipllers rule (Aug 2, 2010)

pattersonk2002 said:


> To my knowledge it is against federal law to shoot any birds of pray in every State. I am not sure on penalties but I am sure, I am not going to find out by chance.
> 
> I held off on antibiotic but I did use ACV in her water. She is doing real good and I am going to put her back were she belongs. I have read a couple of other post's and one about a hawk watching the loft. Trust me, it does not matter if you are out there with the birds as soon as you walk away for one minute the hawk will strike. I have Even read many stories on here saying that hawk had attacked one of there birds as they where standing there. This time of year is lock down and stay down for me, I am not going to watch this again. >Kevin


the worst i would is maybe capture him and release him far away which is probably illegal but you probably won't get caught


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## yvannava (Jul 10, 2010)

not to lie i would probably keep him as a pet cause they look cool.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*trap*



yvannava said:


> not to lie i would probably keep him as a pet cause they look cool.


 I could easly trap this hawk, as I pulled in the drive this morning he/she took off from a tree on the fence row so I know it is watching. The problem with trying something like this is, a lot of these birds are microchipped and I would not want to be the cought with a hawk dead or alive. I do have to say they indeed would make a cool pet but think about feeding it, you would have to feed it live food, I have heard that a mix of frozen mice with a few live ones they will learn to eat them but it is not my game. I am just going to watch them in there natural state. I counted 6 on the way home and that is only 18 miles so if you do the math there are a lot of hawks out there. >Kevin

PS: I do not trap train my high flyers but they do remember how to get in. It is set up as a trap but I leave it so they can come and go as they wish. When it get's dark they are all in and roosting and I lock the trap.


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## yvannava (Jul 10, 2010)

there is 4 hawks around my house now they make it impossible to take out my birds without them each taking one. i feel like risking it but dont know they might get caught.


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## Guest (Oct 16, 2010)

yvannava said:


> there is 4 hawks around my house now they make it impossible to take out my birds without them each taking one. i feel like risking it but dont know they might get caught.


this time of year is always a risk to fly your birds be it early morning or even afternoon and evening as those birds of prey are always out there waiting for you to let them out for them to grab so be very very careful , just looking around isnt enuf because they can come from very far off in so short of a time and grab one of your birds with ease


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*short time*



LokotaLoft said:


> this time of year is always a risk to fly your birds be it early morning or even afternoon and evening as those birds of prey are always out there waiting for you to let them out for them to grab so be very very careful , just looking around isnt enuf because they can come from very far off in so short of a time and grab one of your birds with ease


 You are more then right, If you look at the average homing pigeon flying, lets just say 1320 YPM that is about 1/4 mile in 20 seconds, now for a hawk it can even be faster depending on if it is a dive. Hawks are fast and you won't see it coming untill it's to late. I seen one this morning, it was leaving a tree on the fence row along the road, it took about 6 long swoops of his wings and glided to a tree across the corn field. This all took less the 15 seconds. If that bird was in the trees by my loft it could have one of my birds in about 3to4 seconds no problem. >Kevin


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

I dont understand why hawk doesnt go after pigeon when he is diving to the ground. Is it because of the hawk's speed? Yesterday I flew my oriental rollers. It was very windy like 25-30 mph. And then from nowhere cooper hawk comes. Finally I saw some chasing. It was so damn exciting. I thought I am gonna lose another bird but when he was about to grab him my FOR did a side roll and dived to the ground. Oriental rollers are the smartest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*smartest*



aslan1 said:


> I dont understand why hawk doesnt go after pigeon when he is diving to the ground. Is it because of the hawk's speed? Yesterday I flew my oriental rollers. It was very windy like 25-30 mph. And then from nowhere cooper hawk comes. Finally I saw some chasing. It was so damn exciting. I thought I am gonna lose another bird but when he was about to grab him my FOR did a side roll and dived to the ground. Oriental rollers are the smartest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


 I am going to quote you a couple of times here. (Oriental rollers are the smartest) I am not the Wizard of bird's but I do believe many different types of birds escape the talons of predatory birds. I will give your bird credit but let me quote you for the second time, (I thought I was going to loose another bird) so to me, it seems that not all your birds are as smart as you may claim them to be. 
Everybody that free flies there birds, take the chance of predators taking one of them now and then, as for being the smartest, I believe that time your bird surly was very lucky at that. The bottom line on this story is, if you are going to fly your birds this time of year you are taking a big risk at loosing one. However, If you have a loft full of the smartest ones, let them out. >Kevin


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

aslan1 said:


> .....Finally I saw some chasing. It was so damn exciting.......
> 
> 
> > It sounds like you enjoyed it, somehow, I dont think it wouldve been so exciting if the hawk had caught your bird


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

pattersonk2002 said:


> I am going to quote you a couple of times here. (Oriental rollers are the smartest) I am not the Wizard of bird's but I do believe many different types of birds escape the talons of predatory birds. I will give your bird credit but let me quote you for the second time, (I thought I was going to loose another bird) so to me, it seems that not all your birds are as smart as you may claim them to be.
> Everybody that free flies there birds, take the chance of predators taking one of them now and then, as for being the smartest, I believe that time your bird surly was very lucky at that. The bottom line on this story is, if you are going to fly your birds this time of year you are taking a big risk at loosing one. However, If you have a loft full of the smartest ones, let them out. >Kevin


I won't let them out for couple days and I don't have a loft full of the smartest ones. I just have 4 oriental rollers and they are young. I had 5 birmingham rollers and I lost all of them to the BOP. Just saying that oriental rollers are better at evading hawks attacks than birmighams but thats just my exprience with these birds.


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

Quazar said:


> aslan1 said:
> 
> 
> > .....Finally I saw some chasing. It was so damn exciting.......
> ...


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## Kiko&Kalani (Aug 10, 2010)

What a close call! I noticed that several of you talk about flying your birds for the last time this season and putting them on "lock down". I'm new to this so, I was wondering is this because of hawk season, the cold weather, moulting? I live in Miami Beach so it doesn't get cold here. I have not seen hawks here on the beach, but I am looking. Should I still be keeping my birds inside? If so, when is it safe to let them out? Sorry I'm being so clueless, but I don't want to mess up with my little ones.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*Flying*



Kiko&Kalani said:


> What a close call! I noticed that several of you talk about flying your birds for the last time this season and putting them on "lock down". I'm new to this so, I was wondering is this because of hawk season, the cold weather, moulting? I live in Miami Beach so it doesn't get cold here. I have not seen hawks here on the beach, but I am looking. Should I still be keeping my birds inside? If so, when is it safe to let them out? Sorry I'm being so clueless, but I don't want to mess up with my little ones.



I really can't help you with birds of prey in Florida, From my experience I would think that you have to worry more about ground predators getting your birds more then flying ones. I hope somebody else can help you more on this, my wife's parents live in north port so I am going to ask them about bops since she knows all to well about them in Michigan. >Kevin


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

Patterson that bird on the picture is that a serbian hghflyer?


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*Serbian*



aslan1 said:


> Patterson that bird on the picture is that a serbian hghflyer?


Yes it is, That picture really does not show her in the best of colors, I have sverial more birds and it would be impossible to get good pics of all. I got these (most) birds from outcold who is also a member on here. I will sell birds but only after he say's he has none forsale. >Kevin


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

I have a question. If I lock my birds for a few month will they lose their perfomance? I want to get them in great shape before December because after December it will be impossible to fly them casue of the hawks. I am very worried. Today he was very close I even saw some of the feathers drop from my pigeon but he managed to get away. I tried to fly my birds in mornings, afternoons and evenigs, no matter what part of day it is the hawk is always there. And this hawk is very smart. Everyday he comes up with something new. Most of his attacks are ambushed like he is waiting somewhere in the tree and then when my birds are about to land after 1.5 hour flight he comes. I dont want to fly them but then I am afraid my birds will lose their perfomrance because they are still young and just learning to roll.


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

*Kevin, hows that bird doing? *


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*Doing*



rackerman said:


> *Kevin, hows that bird doing? *


 Wich ones Russ??? the ones I got from you or the ones from bcr1 or the ones from Paul or maybe the baby from hover and lover? oh shoot I forgot we where talking about the little girl who almost had lunch with Mr. Cooper, she is doing fine Russ and really want's to fly again. That is going to be a tuff one for me, I think if we get a nice day I won't feed them in the morning so If I do let them out they will come in soon. All my birds are doing great and I intend to try and keep it that way >Kevin


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## cubanlofts (Sep 3, 2010)

Today, I let a white pigeon fly, her first time, and wow, 10 feet on the air a cooper graber her, my herat dropped to the groung while the cooper fly like 3o feet to let go of her, she has a puncture wound on the side, but she is eating and flying a little, i will start garlic juice on the morning on her and amoxicillin, i have never had such luck with hawks, once they grabbed one,that bird was gone, i think that was a young cooper, wish me luck


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Redtail hawk can grab a pigeon and because its talon is so strong, it can carry the pigeon like nothing. Some gross video on its strength (don't watch this video if you are squeamish because it shows a pigeon getting its throat slashed and gasping for its last breath) :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVVQLRzLd2k

Coopers usually pin down their prey, and eat them alive.


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

Crazy! He was holding it like if was nothing!


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Redtail hawk, happily for me, seems to leave my pigeons alone. But the falcon dives them and the hawk surprises and pins them down, but usually I was able to rescue them. My pigeons are like battle-scarred warriors. They also have become very flighty. Just one sneeze on my part and they all take off. 

After watching the video I don't want to experience that myself--that bird is like Hercules.


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## pattersonk2002 (Jun 1, 2008)

*Red tail*

I have not watched the video yet but I may. Red tails have to have the perfect shot or they normally will not go for pigeons, when they do they will just fly off with it where as the cooper will pick a point near the ground and hit so he can take it there. When they do that you have a chance if you are there as in what happened to me. If your not, well you get the feathers and they are fast at it. >Kevin


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## yvannava (Jul 10, 2010)

we need to breed a species of pigeons that will go out there and beat up the hawks. i wonder if there is a way to make pigeons more agressive so they can at least fight for their lives.


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

They probably wouldn't have much of a chance unless they had talons and a hooked beak.


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

Breed a homer to a hawk, than some how get giant runt blood in there for size, LOL.


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

Pip Logan said:


> Breed a homer to a hawk, than some how get giant runt blood in there for size, LOL.


they wil produce monsters lmao


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## kev01293 (Jun 14, 2006)

its nice to see a bird that survived a hawk attack,lucky for the bird that u were nearby to save him kevin


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## johnny9580 (Sep 4, 2010)

I have heard people say that the some Egyptian Swifts will scare away a hawk when they are released from the loft. I don't know if this is true with the hawk believing the Swift is a crow or another hawk but it seems to be a real possibility because they have long flight feathers compared to other breeds. Also read the story of the white Pica named "Fighter" close to the bottom of this page. If all pigeons were that willed to be alive then hawks wouldn't even bother to try to attack them. I think it would be very interesting to create a breed that is specially meant to ward of predators.


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