Hawks

[glfriend]

So Last year with the increase in Martins there was an increase in Hawk attacks. So if i place a owl decoy about 20 feet away from gourds..will this scare off the Martins? Trees are about 40-60 feet away (one large one)

[Spiderman]

Simple answer is yes.

Martins are more scared of the owl than of the hawks.

As your Martin colony grows, unfortunately the number of predators grow as well.

[brent]

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I’ve used decoys to help give the martins a chance to flee. It works most of the time. I’ve actually seen hawks attack the decoys and the martins scram. I put the decoys on bamboo so that they sway with the wind. See picture. Brent

[C.C.Martins]

Agree with the others, an owl decoy will be counter productive.
Brents input is spot on. They wont stop but they can get distracted. Hawks will learn quick after a failed attempt.

[Whippy]

It also helps to move the decoys around a bit based on activity, hits and time.

As C.C. Martins mentioned, the hawks will learn pretty quick after hitting a decoy so they'll ignore it the next time through. Moving decoys around the area to different locations may continue to distract it enough to give the Martins time to react.

Theres no real science to it. If you see a hawk hit a particular decoy, move that decoy to another spot. If you don't see the hits you could move decoys every few days or so or however many times you like depending on the time you have to do it and the effort you want to put into it.

Good luck to you.

Coolwhips

[birdman in buckhead]

I agree with the folks who suggest not to put up an owl decoy. The PM decoys are worth a try but in my opinion are useless against hawk attacks. The ones I put up in the past got the most attention from other martins! Last year there was one ASY male that constantly divebombed a PM decoy I put on top of a wooden fence about 25 yards away from the martin housing. It got sort of comical after a while. I thought the guy would figure out the decoy wasn't real but it never did.

My opinion of hawks, (in my area the Coopers hawk) is that they are by far the worst predator for my colony, and average killing 5 - 10 martins every year (that I know of). Hawks are brave and not very scared of humans, and worst of all they are protected by the feds. My yearly defenses are (listed in order of effectiveness): being present as much as possible/practical to deter attacks - and yelling, screaming, cursing when attacks occur, an air horn, bottle rockets, BB gun, bow and arrow - to use when hawks are eating martins in my backyard where the martin housing is located, a scarehawk (scarecrow that scares me and neighbors more than hawks, LOL!), decoys. I believe the feds should allow the killing of hawks that kill purple martins, but doubt that will ever happen. It really upsets me when a hawk attack occurs, and my wife doesn't even want me telling when they happen and/or the body count. I understand the circle of life, but it doesn't make it any easier when I lose a martin to a hawk attack! There is a treeline about 75 yards from the martin housing. The hawks sit hidden in the trees and wait for an opportunity to attack - usually when the martins come in to roost in the evenings or during fledging when adults are paying more attention to fledglings, not hawks. The hawks make a straight line attack from the trees like they were shot from a gun, and will be on a martin in less than 5 seconds. The hawk is come and gone in less than 10 seconds. If a martin or other species of bird doesn't sound the alarm before the attack, the results are usually the lose of a martin, and if I see it, a very PO'ed landlord!

[Dave Duit]

Hi birdman in buckhead,
Well said on the hawks. I feel the same way. I also have hawk issues. This year I will place some dove decoys mixed in with martin decoys, but a distance away from the colony so not to attract the martins to close to the martin decoys. Decoys need to be moved every few days. In addition to the martin and dove decoys, I will be adding ureaduckdecoys assault crow flying style crow decoys. A little pricey, but with hawk attacks I need to try any and everything that will deter hawks, but not scare away martins. One member mentioned that he had crows in and near his martin colony without any issues for the martins. Loud noises along with bottle rockets and presence in the yard around sunset may all help. I set out a person scarecrow without success the last three years. Please keep me up to date on your thoughts or insights. I feel the hawk issue is becoming a more popular thread these days as the attacks continue and we are all looking for real solutions.

[birdman in buckhead]

I forgot about using pinwheels last year to try to deter hawk attacks. They are cheap, very reflective, and almost constantly spin. I only put up 4. 1 on each side of the wooden fence that surrounds my backyard and martin colony. I can't really say if they had any effect because there were still hawk attacks. My wife thinks I should put up more this year. Thoughts/comments?

[Spiderman]

Being near the gourd racks when the martins come in at dusk is the best I have learned to reduce hawk attacks at that time of day, because it is easy to predict when the hawk will attack.

Decoys will deter the hawk for a few days but if you don’t move them around the yard he will figure out quickly that they aren’t real.

But it is entertaining to see a coopers hanging upside down holding on to a decoy that he just won’t release.

[jhcox]

Last year was my first experience with hawk attacks and the were often. I have decoys and bottle rocks and an industrial AIR HORN. But they still get them from time to time. Probable more than i know because i work 24 hour shift at the fire department in Knoxville TN. But i have come to crips with the loses of a few martins. Considering the greater good of the large numbers that we are adding to the population. I have around 80 cavities and my numbers of fledged martin young was around 350 last year. So we are still helping the over all numbers to rise. Its hard to see but we try to save all that we can.

God bless and have a great martin year.
JHCox Heiskell Tn

[killerv]

As I was watching my birds come in last night I noticed a hawk fly away from the tree line. It definitely had its eye on them. I was about 20 yards away from pm setup. Of course I can't be out there every day at this time. I've only witnessed one hawk attack on my sk house, it as pretty epic.

[Thomas Maddox]

Any of you tried lasers? My son has a very strong laser that I've pointed at HOSPS that I couldn't get shots at. It drives them crazy and they quickly leave.

[killerv]

You are getting into harrassing wildlife territory, if you do it to something like a hawk, don't talk about it. The odds of anything ever coming of it would be incredibly slim, just not a fan of it. Hawk is just being a hawk. We can't do everything for these martins, just do what we can. Do whatever to an invasive species though.

I have a lot of crows around, and they love running off a hawk.

[Thomas Maddox]

That's true. Survival of the fittest!

[mwren]

Good ideas to help protect our martins from hawks and owls. I have tried all except for the fencing in my 3 Troyer T-14's and my 3 Troyer Gourd Racks for a total of 96 nest box opportunities for our birds. I might try to "fence in" at least one or two of my Towers this season. I have Sharp Shinns, Coopers, Red Shouldered, Red Tails, and Barred Owls as well as Great Horned pair on the next farm from my property. Last year was the worst predator season I have had to suffer through.

Mike Wren
"Bird"

[killerv]

This thread jinxed me, I mentioned I saw a hawk the day before watching my martins. Yesterday when I got home, it was sitting on top of my sk house with my martins circling above it. After he left, I counted my martins the best I could, looks like he hasn't got one....yet

[mwren]

killerv,

"yet" is the magic word! Once sharp shinns or Coopers locate a martin colony, they are going to attack at some point. They will have
misses, but they will eventually attack and kill in time.

Mike

[killerv]

My son and I was watching a fledgling a few years back off the back porch and he proceeded to name it Andrew. 5 minutes later Andrew was taken away....

[birdman in buckhead]

I had not spotted a cooper's hawk for about a month, then yesterday morning a dismantled martin was on the ground almost directly under a martin house. Definitely a hawk meal (parentless!). The attack had to occur that morning, because the destroyed martin wasn't there the evening before. I thought all of my harrassing tactics had worked and had spooked the hawk off into not coming back, or the number of martins had increased to where the hawk was spotted and the alarm sounded well before it reached the colony. But the birds now stay around the housing all day since nest building and egg laying began, and there isn't really a "coming home" time in the evening anymore. Therefore, the PM's are easy targets at all times of the day if none are on the lookout. From past experience, the attacks will now increase, especially when the hatchlings begin the fledge. I'll just make sure all of my hawk detering things are readily available whenever an attack happens. One of these days an accident might happen and the hawk becomes no longer a problem. I hope not, but accidents are sometimes unavoidable.

[Dave Duit]

Here is the response on another post thread "Relentless hawk attacks" in which I provided the following. I accidentally omitted your insight on Tree swallows. I will add it to the end of my suggestions:
In my experiences in dealing with hawks I hope the following works in decreasing the attacks.
1.) Place a ton of martin and dove decoys scattered throughout the area near your martin colony. The hope is that it will cut down on the number of successful attacks.
2.) I know this one is a real pain to carry out; but be present with a loud noise maker during the times when you think the attacks are most common. One ladies husband made a hard wood clacker to make a sharp loud noise.. Or use a noise maker such as an airhorn when the hawk is present or even fireworks if legal in your area.
3.) It has been noted in some observations that hawks do not like crows. So, in addition to your dove and marin decoys; purchase a few "assault" crow decoys and place them around your colony. A crow will pester hawks and is one of te few birds that do not feel fear when dealing with hawks.
4.) Contact a "LEGAL LICENSED FALCONER WITH PROPER CREDENTIALS" to capture the hawk and safely remove the hawk from your colony. I stress the fact that it is not legal to capture a hawk without the proper license. Under no circumstance should you attempt this.
5.) Place a metal pole near your colony that has at least a 6 foot string and feather from a starling and or sparrow tied to the end to mimic a flying bird. When the breeze happens to come up the feathers will appear to be prey for the hawk. This is just another version of a decoy.
6.) This one is questionable. I have heard that placing a mirror ball (disco ball" on top of your rack pole can act as a deterrent. This technique is unfounded, but what the heck it can't hurt to try it.
7.) Cak and Spiderman mentioned cages around their housing. I'm grateful for their suggestion and I appreciate their insight. Here is what I had to change on my existing owl cages. I had 4 x 4 inch mesh size fencing around my housing; but the hawks simply picked off martins as they perched in the cage openings. The old cage would deter owls, but had minimal effect on hawks. So, I spent a lot of time removing the cages to eliminate the perching of martins on the cage openings and forcing the martins to only perch on their house porches. This stops the hawk from simple picking them of a cage. Instead, I replaced the cage with sturdy plastic with metal core clothesline wire going only vertically 5 inches apart and about 1 foot to 1 and 1/2 feet in front of their porches with a clear fly path in and out. The martins quickly adapt to this set up. When the hawk comes in for an attack, the only way he can be successful is if he takes on a full straight approach directly into the porch. It makes it very difficult for the hawk and it gives ample time for the martin to escape. Most of the hawk attacks with the old square cages were accomplished with side swipe techniques instead of head on attacks. This change from cage to vertical style clothesline has virtually stopped successful attacks. It is simply eliminating perch opportunities for the martin in a dangerous perch position, but still allows for safe perching on their own porch. It also keeps owls out because they do not like to enter small opening with their wings. If your cavities are deep it also helps keep owls from reaching to the back of the cavities. (See below images of a hawk cage deterrent)
8.) Place dedicated gourds on shepherd hooks to attract tree swallows to take up residence to act as early hawk alarms for your martin colony. This works best for already established martin colonies.
9.) It helps to share all your ideas on hawk deterrents. Spread the word and try anything even if it sounds strange.

Several pics of the hawk deterrent cage. The clothesline is strung up over and down around the top through blue pex on the gourd racks. The metal houses are the same concept but strung through an old automatic garage door frame pieces. Any metal tubing will work. The gourd rack blue pex is attached to a 2 inch metal band that makes up the edge of the roof. The anchor bolts are put through the the white tubing that is part of the floor which is suspended from the lower part of the gourd rack. So, the entire floor and gourd rack lowers together. I simply push out the bent end anchor bolt from the holes I drilled in the lower floor blue pex and lower away. The wire is clothesline with plastic coating and a metal wire core for strength. It all sound complicated and it was when assembling the set up. But, the concept is easy and can be modified as seen fit by those who wish to construct such a hawk deterring cage. This type of cage eliminates the chances of martins perching on the exterior of a square mesh style cage. The martins fly through the gaps between the clothesline wire and land on their gourd porches. When drilling holes to string up the clothes line, be sure to center the gourd porch or entrances in the center between the clothesline wire and it is approximately 14-16 inches distance from the gourd porch to the clothesline gaps. Hopefully the pics , if they post will help you in visualizing the set up. Distances between wires (gap) is about 8 inches on the gourd rack set up and the metal housing unit distance (gap) is about 4.5 inches. The first four pics are of the metal housing units; it is a four plex. In pic #4 of the metal housing you can see the black pull out metal box that fits between the back side of the metal houses. Inside the box is a ceramic heater that is positioned in the center of the box. Each metal house has 2 inch round soffit vents to allow radiant heat from the ceramic heater to heat indirectly the interior of each individual compartment The last 4 are of the gourd rack set up.
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