Cooper's Hawk Issue

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CBader
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2025 10:07 am
Location: Silver Spring, Maryland

Leisure World Maryland's Golf Course has several older condos that will be replaced and 2 new Nesting Gourds sets. Today we counted 35 martins. They are mostly going into the older rundown condos. We are hoping we will see nests in the new gourds soon. Yesterday a Cooper's Hawk took a martin we think was perched on the one of the older condos. I don't think we can put owl/hawk guards on the run down condos, but could get the owl/hawk guards that fit onto our excluder gourds.
I'd love any advice on how to discourage hawks. Also has anyone used the owl/hawk guards?

There are tall trees on the golf course, but not near our colony.

Also will we be able to replace the older condos next season?

Thanks! Cheryl
C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Sorry for the loss, its shocking when it happens right in front of you.
Best bet is yes, owl guards...gives them that split second. Next id think about a martin decoy on top of the house, hawks will go for the slowest bird. Your hope is that decoy.
They do learn fast though, after one or two strikes it may ignore it.
Hope this helps,
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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