First hawk attack

flyin-lowe · Mon Mar 28, 2022 12:34 pm

Those of you who can tell the difference between the coopers and the sharpies have good eyes. I get a good enough look at them to even begin to try to figure that out. I usually see them from a distance as the martins are chasing them or they swoop in and are gone before I get a good look. I very rarely ever see them just perched somewhere and the times I have seen them they spook very easy as soon as I move.

brent · Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:51 pm

You're right. They are similar. In fact what I thought was a Sharp Shinned could really be a Merlin. Brent

birdman in buckhead · Mon Mar 28, 2022 8:11 pm

HI Folks. Very sorry to hear about so many hawk attacks. I lost my first bird of the season 3 days ago. 10 minutes before dark I heard the commotion from the martins and knew what had just happened. Sure enough a cooper's was on the ground making dinner of a martin about 20 feet away from the housing. It took off as soon as I ran out of the door.

Since then, as soon as the colony (about 20 birds now) starts circling before coming in for the night, I go to my back fence and give a few short blasts on the air horn in hopes of scaring off any hawks that may be close by. The birds seem to know after the air horn that it's safe to come down. I stay out until they are all in. I also went to wallyworld and got some of the shiny windmill reflectors that we played with as kids and put them on top of wy wooden fence in all directions, plus one on my scarecrow.

Not sure if any of this helps keep hawks away, but it doe not hurt to try.. I have a feeling hawk attacks will get much worse once breeding, nest building, fledging, etc. gets underway, then it's man vs hawk!

Martintown33 · Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:10 am

Yes, it’s hard to tell the difference between a coop and a sharp shinned unless you get a good look. Even in comparison images, they are similar..A coop seems to have a slightly lighter colored underside.. I havent seen any more attacks, since the first unsuccessful attack. I hope it stays that way. I’m outside a lot, so I hope that deters him.
Good luck,
Rob

SSMartin · Tue Mar 29, 2022 8:52 pm

I had a female carried off the other day. She was caught while they were scampering about in the pasture gathering old hay. The thought of the male Martin taking a few days to realize his mate wasn’t coming back was on my mind. This is the first time in years I have actually seen a Martin get caught.

brent · Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:02 pm

Sorry to hear that SSMartin. I saw a female taken right off of her porch. Poor baby, I just about cried all day with sadness. We become attached. It’s our human condition I guess. It was not my first time witnessing hawk predation. Every time it’s like it’s the first. Never easy. Take care and good luck. Brent

Martintown33 · Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:14 am

Damn hawks!

Martintown33 · Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:46 pm

Unless I’m wrong, it’s LEGAL to shoot a hawk, if it’s killing your domesticated animals. What is a domesticated animal? An animal that you give shelter to, care for and feed. Isn’t that exactly what we do with our martins (supplemental feeding, care for and shelter them? So what’s the difference?
Hawk populations are exploding. The rules that protected them when their numbers were declining are antiquated, and must be changed.
Rob

Martintown33 · Wed Mar 30, 2022 6:45 pm

I was just outside watching the martins come in for the evening. About 10 minutes after they were in, about 6:15, i saw a sharp shinned hawk, come down about 15 feet off the ground doing a fly by of the housing, looking for a porch sitter no doubt. Too bad for him, my martins zoom right in, in the evening, no porch sitting. 2nd failed attempt that I’ve witnessed this season. Damn hawks!
Good luck,
Rob

brent · Wed Mar 30, 2022 8:01 pm

Hi Rob. I’ve been fortunate lately. I don’t know if it’s my persistence that’s paying off or if the hawks are migrating out but I haven’t had any attacks for the last 2 days now. Tomorrow is another day. Good luck. Brent

Martintown33 · Thu Mar 31, 2022 6:18 am

Good news Brent. I really hope they move on too!
Good luck,
Rob

Jones4381 · Thu Mar 31, 2022 8:58 am

Martintown33 wrote: ↑
Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:46 pm
Unless I’m wrong, it’s LEGAL to shoot a hawk, if it’s killing your domesticated animals. What is a domesticated animal? An animal that you give shelter to, care for and feed. Isn’t that exactly what we do with our martins (supplemental feeding, care for and shelter them? So what’s the difference?
Hawk populations are exploding. The rules that protected them when their numbers were declining are antiquated, and must be changed.
Rob

I would suggest contacting these fine folks on this matter as they are the protectors of wildlife and enforcement of our country's Federal Laws. https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/hunt ... rmits-tags. Special permits can be granted but the story needs to be fact based and if warranted could be achieved. Would love to know how it turns out if you decide to inquire. Good luck.

Martintown33 · Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:34 pm

I just saw that hawk do another fly by of my site. The martins ganged up and dive bombed him. Seems like he’s making this a daily routine, just waiting for a porch sitter. I passed by my friends colony today. He wasn’t home, the martins were out feeding, but there was a hawk perched on the top of one of the the gourd racks. I scared him off … but they are getting so numerous and brazen..
DAMN HAWKS!
Rob

Jones4381 · Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:55 pm

Capt. William Boyd Assumption, Lafourche, Lower St. Martin, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, and Terrebonne

1102 Hwy 3185
Thibodaux, LA 70301 985.447.0821

Rob here is Captain Boyd's phone number who over sees your district in LA. If the Hawk problem is out of control it should be reported and request if you can legally obtain a permit for your issues. I work with LE every day and they are here to assist, inform, and offer solutions as they've had countless experiences to draw from. Maybe you already have but this is the best advice I can give you...I'd steer clear of people who offer advice on emotion as I've seen how that ends and the one acting on it often is dealing with loss of freedoms and finances. Good luck on your frustrations with your current issue.

daltonmissouri · Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:44 pm

Maybe I've been lucky----and knock on wood----but every time a hawk shows up, all of the birds in the neighborhood besides the martins gang up on it and chase it off. Hope that continues...

daltonmissouri · Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:53 pm

But then again, it might help that my neighbors have chickens. They seem to be more interested in swooping down at them.

Martintown33 · Thu Mar 31, 2022 4:48 pm

Thanks for the info Jones. I will will see if they are aware of the explosion of hawk populations in the area.

LisaJ · Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:16 pm

Thank you, Brent! I will get one of those. This morning, the hawk was sitting on the wood fence right under the pm house!
I ran out like a crazy person, yelling and clapping. Scared him with my flying soldiers hot on his tail, chasing him away.

birdman in buckhead · Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:09 pm

as soon as the colony (about 20 birds now) starts circling before coming in for the night, I go to my back fence and give a few short blasts on the air horn in hopes of scaring off any hawks that may be close by. The birds seem to know after the air horn that it's safe to come down. I stay out until they are all in. I also went to wallyworld and got some of the shiny windmill reflectors that we played with as kids and put them on top of wy wooden fence in all directions, plus one on my scarecrow.

I stopped blowing the air horn 3 days after I started because the hawk returned shortly afterwards. I'm thinking the hawk linked the horn to a dinner bell. For now, I just sit outside for 30 - 45 minuites with the air horn and other deterrents until the martins are safely inside. My wife approves and I get some time to contemplate the meaning of life.....

Note: someone else commented about a hawk circling above their PM colony. Not sure what kind of hawk that is except to say it's not a cooper's. From my observations, a cooper's will come in on a straight horizontal line. If a PM is lingering on a porch or perch the hawk will snatch it. If no birds are out the hawk will zoom on by. This happening while I'm present and the hawk knows it. I can't say what the hawk does when I'm not around except I've seen them eating martins almost directly under the housing after I run outside due to all of the commotion coming from the colony.

LisaJ · Fri Apr 01, 2022 1:20 pm

“My” hawk is a Sharp Shinned. When he comes around, their alert screams send me running to find him. It is so true, out of the blue, there are 50 birds chasing him out of town.
I sit out with them in the morning, evening an when I take a break from work. I love my office is at home!
The weekend is here! Beautiful weather ahead!
Have a great one, my PM friends!!
LisaJ