Hawks and Owls
Hawks at Feeders
Q. We have a hawk that comes to our
yard on a regular basis, and yesterday he got a Mourning Dove. How can
I get rid of him and keep the songbirds and doves?
A. Like
the other birds, the hawk is coming to your yard because there is a
source of food. If you want to discourage the hawk, you'll have to take
your feeders down for a few days to disperse the hawk’s food
source--smaller birds. In the wild, birds face constantly fluctuating
food supplies, so songbirds, doves, and hawks alike will survive by
finding food elsewhere. Try putting your feeders up again in a week or
two. The songbirds and doves will come back but, with luck, the hawk
will have found better hunting grounds somewhere else. You can learn
more about feeder problems and solutions at our Project FeederWatch web site.
Hawks and Pets
Q: I have a small, five pound dog that likes to run around our backyard. Should I be worried that a hawk could pick him up and take him away?
A: Whether or not your dog is in danger depends on
the dog's breed and size - some breeds are as small as large rabbits, and
hawks definitely go for those.
If the dog is very small - under 20
pounds - it is possible for large raptors to attack it. Such an attack is
much less likely if there are two or three dogs than just one. A
kennel with a wire roof can also protect small dogs. It is prudent
to protect small dogs like this, anyway, since hawks aren't the only
danger they face. Others include bigger dogs; some outdoor
cats; foxes, coyotes, and bears; venomous snakes; and in some cases other people.