Hawks!!

[Eddie McKnight]

Well, I have conquered the starlings and sparrows, but before my martins have arrived in SC, the hawks are already attacking my decoys. Just wanted to start a thread to see what folks are planning to do about hawks this year. We now have year round hawks of all sizes, as witnessed at the bird feeders all winter.

I have encircled all my gourd racks and houses with 2 x 4 mesh wire this year. It seemed to help on one or two setups last year, so I expanded to all compartments.

Other ideas or plans?

[~Ray~Gingerich]

I caught a starling in my trap yesterday, I put him in the holding cage this morning and went inside, within an hour I had a male coppers hawk attacking the cage, about 45 minutes later a large female was doing the same thing.

[klcretired]

Eddie,
Here is a couple of Posts I posted in the past , as page opens scroll down to my post , hope this gives you some Ideas

Using Doves to deter Hawk Attacks on Martins

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... awk+attack


ECO Blast & Pellet Gun to deter Hawk attacks on Martins

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... awk+attack

[Scott D.- La]

I stopped feeding bird's for that very reason. So far, I have not seen anything but know, it can and will happen at anytime especially, with all the racket they insist on making.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

klcretired, I purchased a boat horn on your recommendation. There was a hawk sitting on a light pole. I got under the hawk, blew the airhorn until it ran out of air, and the hawk never moved! I suggest that was not a good recommendation

[klcretired]

Emil,
sorry emil , i miss read your post
For me it works great

[Glynn B - LA]

Deleted post. Have a lot to learn.

[klcretired]

Hi Glynn,
and welcome to the Forum ,there is a wealth of knowledge here.
Let me tell you as a Martin Landlord for over 40 years now from my experience using the Decoys' Both Dove & PM Decoys.
First of all Many Years ago I did not use any and my Colony was hit By Hawks, Owls, etc.... and I lost alot of Martins , Using decoys or Not The Predators are coming anyway, just as soon as the martins arrive so do the predators but let me say this Using the decoys both Dove & PM has saved me alot of Martins that would have been taken otherwise, The Decoys give the Martins a Chance to "Bolt to freedom" while the Hawk is attacking the decoy, once in open air the Martin Has the advantage ,so IMO not only are the decoys a good attracting tool they also help Deter the Hawks especially if they attack and hit Plastic decoys time & again.
This may not work for everyone but i can tell you from many years experience that while using decoys my Martin Numbers have increased.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I think that the dawnsong may attract hawks and owls. Now for the decoys, it seems to me that if a hawk attacks a decoy, that he would not bother that location immediately afterward for a second time. Maybe a day later, if he again attacks the decoy, he may decide not to waste much time at that site. It does absorb a lot of time for a hawk to sneak up on a colony, they usually take a lot of time to stay hidden. Now if they successfully catch a martin, they will definitely try again the next day. It seems to me that decoys would slow down hawk attacks, but it most likely will not completely stop them.

[flyin-lowe]

Glynn
If you have martins then the decoys aren't going to draw any more attention then the real thing does. All it does is give the martins a little more time to react because often times the hawk will go after the slowest moving target, the decoy. I have personally witnessed hawks hit my decoys several times each year, once while I was standing right underneath of it. You can never say for certain but had the hawk not hit the decoy it might have hit the real thing. If you don't have martins at your site and are using them as an attractant it doesn't really matter if it draws in a hawk or two.

[Glynn B - LA]

Thank you all for the education. I have a better understanding why to use the decoy. Yes I would rather the hawk or owl hit the decoy. Never really thought of it that way. You all have convinced me that a decoy can be used to help instead of harm a colony. I still have a lot to learn.




Glynn

[M.Stephens]

Eddie after your hawk attacks last year I would be asking for more info also.

My plans were and are to use the dove decoys as Kenny has told us about.

Thanks Kenny, I'm glad you posted your old threads. I have the dove decoys and will be stationing them around my colony site this year .
Mojo has one now that spins the wings in the wind and doesn't use batteries.

This is an encouraging thread to me!!! : )

[Eddie McKnight]

Thanks for all the discussion. I hope it continues. Here is a picture of how I wrapped the houses. I also wrapped all the gourd racks. The wire is at least a foot from any porch.

Please continue this discussion and would someone please post the source of the dove decoys?

Also, has anyone ever tried scarecrows? I know last year, at dusk, when I would stand around to prevent hawk attacks, they would fly within 10 feet of me to grab a martin off a porch (before the wire mesh). So I assume the scarecrow wouldn't work if a real person didn't work.

Here is the URL from a previous post with pictures of the mesh.
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... &highlight

[klcretired]

I purchased my Doves at Cabela's
I purchased some stationary doves & Mojo a dove that has motion


http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/h ... t104714280

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Scarecrows work for about 1 to 3 days, then they ignore them. If you move them every day, or twice a day, they work much better and longer

[M.Stephens]

Here down south the dove hunting season has been over for some time and the big box store(well known one) in the sporting goods Dept has an overstock of them at a huge discount. They also have the one that flaps it's wings in the wind. I think the dove decoys will be a real good asset to divert hawk attacks. : )