Just as martins are settling in for the night, fighting over gourds and just being martins they all bolt. I am watching to see what is happening, and sure enough when I turn around there is a very large hawk on top of my deluxe rack. I run outside and run him off.
More martins show up and they circle around the area until the hawk flies off for the woods.
What is disturbing is this is the first time I have had a hawk on my rack. And I have some new martins in addition to the 4 pair that have been here for a couple of weeks.
Besides cutting down trees(not an option) is there anything I can do? Not sure if my owl guards(prong type) are any help.
Hawk problem - help
Last edited by Bulldog1 on Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
PMCA member
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
Sounds like you have a problem on your hands. And I'm sorry to say that there is not much you can (legally) do about it. Last season at fledging time a hawk decided to prey on my colony. And did it quite often. It always did it in the air though, and I assume it was the weaker birds or fledglings that were caught. This year he (or another like him) tried for my martin scout the first day the scout arrived. So far the martin has made it, and I am hoping that when the rest of the birds arrive, my colony will stronger with him in the lead. Good luck to you and yours. Brenda
Thanks Brenda. I know a solution, but I will not kill a raptor just doing what a raptor does. Now HOSP's on the other hand...............
PMCA member
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
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AidanRois
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:19 am
- Location: Mississippi/Horn Lake
- Martin Colony History: Since 2012
I had to buy a decoy for this season for almost the same reason. We've rarely had hawks over us, and all of a sudden, I see at least one every day I go into town. I even got the sight of several starlings chasing one away the other day. My boys took care of the only hawk near us last year, but I decided to 'help' them out this year with the decoy.
Tiffeny N. - Horn Lake, MS - PMCA member
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Since 2012
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Since 2012
I agree with you bulldog1, there is no way I would harm a bird that is just killing to eat or feed its young. Sparrows and Starlings however enter at their own risk. I have a fence between my backyard and small field. The area just over that fence has been nicknamed "the boneyard" because of all the skeletons of previous intruders. It would be nice if the hawks would go for the sparrows and starlings, but I guess native birds have native tastes.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Not only martins and songbirds are migrating now, hawks are migrating too. Lately every hawk or falcon we see flying overhead here in south Texas is heading north. Most of these birds are flying fairly high, in migration mode rather than hunting mode, but the martins sometimes strafe them a bit just the same.
What this means is that landlords will be seeing more hawks for the next several weeks as the birds travel north. Don't panic thinking that they are all going to stay, most will just be passing through. For the most part, it's only Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks that are a threat for most of us, and all the other hawk species we might see aren't going to be a problem.
The spring migration of Broad-winged Hawks and Mississippi Kites, is a highlight for birdwatchers, especially here in Corpus Christi.
What this means is that landlords will be seeing more hawks for the next several weeks as the birds travel north. Don't panic thinking that they are all going to stay, most will just be passing through. For the most part, it's only Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks that are a threat for most of us, and all the other hawk species we might see aren't going to be a problem.
The spring migration of Broad-winged Hawks and Mississippi Kites, is a highlight for birdwatchers, especially here in Corpus Christi.
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geneinmurphy
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2003 12:09 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Murphy
Put up a lot of decoys on your rack/s. They do help with hawks......the hawk will often go after the decoy while the other PM's are flying away. Be sure to rotate your decoys around.....
Hi Bulldog,
I have installed 4x4 garden fencing around my house, and gourds. It extends from 9 to 12 inches in front of each compartment. This makes it very difficult for a Cooper's hawk to pick off unsuspecting martins that are resting on their porch shelves. I was having that problem a few years ago. I have not had any losses since installing the fencing, which I bought at Lowe's. Since it had a combination of 4 and 2 inch holes, I cut the 2 inch holes to make them 4 inches. I did this in the off season. Decoys will help fool a hawk for a while. Hawks can really damage a colony, unless measures are taken!
Gary
I have installed 4x4 garden fencing around my house, and gourds. It extends from 9 to 12 inches in front of each compartment. This makes it very difficult for a Cooper's hawk to pick off unsuspecting martins that are resting on their porch shelves. I was having that problem a few years ago. I have not had any losses since installing the fencing, which I bought at Lowe's. Since it had a combination of 4 and 2 inch holes, I cut the 2 inch holes to make them 4 inches. I did this in the off season. Decoys will help fool a hawk for a while. Hawks can really damage a colony, unless measures are taken!
Gary
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KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
What Gene said - - lots of decoys. I have 15 or 16 decoys now - 4 of those are dove decoys (that I bought on Amazon for $14). I read somewhere that doves are the Cooper's hawk favorite meal here in MO, so I bought a 4-pack and placed them strategically around my colony - even put a couple on top of a shepherd's pole that holds a bird feeder about 100 ft. from my colony. It was SWEET to watch the resident female Cooper's hawk go after the dove decoys!!!
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
I have also installed fencing as an owl and hawk guard around all my housing. Decoys are a help.