OH NO :( My Martins are under attack!! (pictures)

Chriscreole · Sun Mar 30, 2014 4:40 pm

I Caught a Falcon trying to catch my Purple Martins off guard but the Purple Martins are the Jet Fighters of the bird family and even though the Falcon is fast on a dive, it is no match the instant maneuverability of the Purple Martins. All caught on my camera in the park behind my house. Unfortunately, I'm sure He will get one sooner or later. I've been saying to my friend there was a strange big bird in the park, lookes like a red tail hawk at first, but markings weren't there. maybe a baby Turkey Vulture, but further watching provided me a clear camera shot this morning, went online to identify it.

Bird Verification:
http://carolinabirds.org/HTML/NA_Raptor_Falcon.htm

avesrun · Sun Mar 30, 2014 5:21 pm

nice photo of crested Caracara. they mostly eat carrion. they will eat small mammals. didn't know they would attack Birds.
tim

birdbrat · Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:08 pm

Great photography of beautiful bird!

Louise Chambers · Sun Mar 30, 2014 6:29 pm

First photos are of a red-tailed hawk, and other bird is crested caracara - neither of which are normally much of a threat to martins. When feeding martins, keep an eye to the sky - the martins are more vulnerable when feeding conditions are poor.

David W · Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:01 pm

It would be very hard for any broad winged hawk to catch a PM, they are too fast. It would take a Sharp Shinned, Coopers, Merlin, and if you live in the north, a Goshawk or the king of all, the Peregrine.

Chriscreole · Sun Mar 30, 2014 7:05 pm

you're right Louise the first to look like red tail hawks, I can see the red better when I blow them up. Boy it sure was giving the martin a run, or the Martin was just teasing it. The Falcon has been hanging around all week cruising over the housing maybe looking for easy meal? I sure have some great wildlife here. I just planted several plants that draw flying insects, hope to get a full garden soon.

chickadee · Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:18 pm

Anyone know what kind of hawks we have here in ohio that are a threat to martins?

Steve Martin · Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:30 pm

Like everyone here said that is a caracara. I've never heard of one perusing a bird in the air. They just don't have the flight skills for that. The bird might nest raid, except for fact that the shape of a gourd or apartments would make that almost impossible a caracara. The only time I would see a caracara as a threat is, if there was a grounded fledgling hopping around. The caracara might eat that one.

Sorry for giving you a scare like that by letting one of our birds loose in Williamson County, you need to send him back across the boarder to Bastrop County were he belongs.

Seriously, I think that Bastrop City and Bastrop County are the Texas capital of caracaras. If you drive around within 5 miles of Bastrop City limits you are likely to see one once a week or more. If you drive around in Bastrop County you will likely see one at least once a month.

DebA · Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:32 am

It's good to see you are out with the camera again!
Deb

Chriscreole · Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:37 am

Steve Martin wrote:Like everyone here said that is a caracara. I've never heard of one perusing a bird in the air. They just don't have the flight skills for that. The bird might nest raid, except for fact that the shape of a gourd or apartments would make that almost impossible a caracara. The only time I would see a caracara as a threat is, if there was a grounded fledgling hopping around. The caracara might eat that one.

Sorry for giving you a scare like that by letting one of our birds loose in Williamson County, you need to send him back across the boarder to Bastrop County were he belongs.

Seriously, I think that Bastrop City and Bastrop County are the Texas capital of caracaras. If you drive around within 5 miles of Bastrop City limits you are likely to see one once a week or more. If you drive around in Bastrop County you will likely see one at least once a month.

Well good news I didn't think I can do anything to help my martins against a hawk attack. There's a tone of mice here maybe that's why they're hanging around, scaring my babies.

bluetick · Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:30 am

I believe in my area of Ohio the Sharp Shinned is the worst. They are almost like a cooper but just a little smaller. Hard on all birds as that is their main diet. They like to hang out at bird feeders. JMO. Dave

birdbrat · Mon Mar 31, 2014 3:14 pm

Both sharp shinned and coopers hawks are preditors of birds in south central Ohio. But they only take what they need to survive. Yes, they do come to martin colonies to feed, for the same reason that they hunt at bird feeders. Anywhere there is a large consentration of birds it attracts them. If we provide them with large consentrations of food they will come and they will feed. And as I have said before, in nature, only the strongest of the species survives. Does it break my heart to see a martin go down to a hawk? Sure it does. Do I hate the hawk for it? Not in the least. They are both beautiful birds. And are both doing what nature intended.

Jaique · Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:35 pm

A beautiful bird, as are all birds of prey often are. I know they have to eat, too, but am so sad that he or some other bird attacked your martins. They should stick to mice, which I won't miss.

Ladybug · Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:17 pm

Chriscreole,
WOW, that is one BIG FALCON. I will have to ck. raptor site. Very interesting. He is pretty, but not when he is hunting your Martins.
GREAT PHOTOS::
GOOD LUCK::

PMCA Member.

Steve Martin · Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:19 pm

Ladybug wrote:Chriscreole, WOW, that is one BIG FALCON. I will have to ck. raptor site. Very interesting. He is pretty, but not when he is hunting your Martins.

While they share some of the same shape and features of falcons such as the peregrine, gyrfalcon and merlin, caracaras are really there own separate group that branched off of the falcons long before the more familiar falcons branched off from each other. They do not have the features to make them areal hunters. Nor do they use fast pursuit of prey on the ground. They are primarily carrion eaters. Like the one I saw a few days ago eating a dead goat on the side of the road. Although I would not be surprised to see them nest raiding from a larger open nest such as an unprotected crow or heron nest. Like I said, to your martins, they are harmless to anything but fall-outs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_C ... a#Behavior