Why do you need Decoys

[James Strickland FL]

I just went outside to walk the dogs and I watched a hawk hit my Decoys. He was fast and it happen fast. He hit it and came back to it , but lucky it was a decoy. That is why its great to have them.

[Jerry Parent]

Hi James,

I totally agree. I have been using decoys for the last 8 years. I have found many of my decoys on the ground with numerous marks made by hawks and/or owls. I started using safety lines attached to them so not to lose them in the long grass. Last winter I carved 2 dozen decoys as a winter project and now employ numerous decoys (10 to 15 decoys) for that purpose and as well as an attractant for new visiting martins. I really do believe in them and highly recommend their use in starting new colonies and in maintaining existing ones for decoying hawks away from the real martins.

Jerry Parent

[The Olsons]

James,

Good for you having the decoys up....I was hoping our hawk would come and hit the decoys often before the martins come back and be sick of "eating" plastic. So far I am not aware of any attacks on the decoys by the hawk; he/she is just hanging around once in a while

Do you have your decoys on the housing or nearby perches?

Astrid

[Al Denton]

This thread inspired me to make a new decoy template from sheet metal this afternoon. I'm going to pick up some basswood this week and whittle the winter away

[Guest]

I too had a hawk hit sometime in the last few days. I noticed one of the decoys askew yesterday after reading your post. I saw a large hawk dive in between 2 houses across the street the other day.

dick

[James Strickland FL]

I have never had a Hawk around my houses before until now. I have always had decoys up just for that reason. I was lucky to see it happen and now I know that having them up helped. Like everyone said, If they hit them early they will stay away from my site, because they know that their is no food here at this site and my martins will have fewer hits on them later.

[klcretired]

James,
Good for you, I also have decoys and have had for several years , i encourage martin LandLords to use them not only as an attracting tool but to save martin Lives as well, like you, I also have had Hawk attacks and the decoys give the martins a chance for escape because the hawk usually goes for the slowest weakest martin and after Mr.Hawk has had a taste of Plastic they seem to loose intrest in My Colony and don't come around near as much as they would if they had gotten a warm Live Meal.