Duckling attacked by falcon

Okay, so about twenty minutes ago me and two of my sisters were outside watching our four ducklings swim in their pool. Out of nowhere, a giant hawk/falcon came swooping down and wrestled with one of the ducks, leaving us stunned as we stood up and screamed, trying to rid the giant bird away without getting attacked ourselves. After a second, the bird flew off and left one of the ducks with a bloody eye and the rest are FREAKED out. Mind you, they're six weeks old and not that small anymore, AND we live in a residential neighborhood where falcons aren't common. We're afraid he might've been stalking our ducks for a while.
The one who we think is blind won't eat or drink—he's sulking in the corner of his cage, and we don't know what to do. Will he die, or does he just need some time to calm down after the attack? Also, how do we prevent him from coming back and doing more damage?

(I'm traumatized and honestly I want to shoot that **** falcon. So livid.)

sns26 said:

Okay, so about twenty minutes ago me and two of my sisters were outside watching our four ducklings swim in their pool. Out of nowhere, a giant hawk/falcon came swooping down and wrestled with one of the ducks, leaving us stunned as we stood up and screamed, trying to rid the giant bird away without getting attacked ourselves. After a second, the bird flew off and left one of the ducks with a bloody eye and the rest are FREAKED out. Mind you, they're six weeks old and not that small anymore, AND we live in a residential neighborhood where falcons aren't common. We're afraid he might've been stalking our ducks for a while.
The one who we think is blind won't eat or drink—he's sulking in the corner of his cage, and we don't know what to do. Will he die, or does he just need some time to calm down after the attack? Also, how do we prevent him from coming back and doing more damage?

(I'm traumatized and honestly I want to shoot that **** falcon. So livid.)

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The only way to stop aerial attacks are to keep your birds in a covered run. It's a good thing you and your sisters were out there because that would have been fatal to at least one duckling. It's very likely that it's been stalking your ducklings for some time. Residential areas are loaded with small house pets that are easy enough targets for all kinds of predators. Flush the eye with water and you can apply Neosporin to it.

I recently lost 2 ducks to a hawk. I found a hawk feather beside the ducks feathers. You cannot shoot birds of prey. It is illegal. You could go to jail for a long time for that. Free ranging is risky as I found out. I guess keeping them penned with the top covered is the safest.

I wasn't actually going to shoot it, but okay. I already keep them in a covered pen, but we need to let them out to range once in a while, too.

I understand. They really like looking for bugs and eating grass. I lost 2 female WH to the hawk. I would not have cared so much if they were boys. But loosing girls really messed up my ratio. I had to go and buy more because my old girls started being abused by the boys. I am sure it was a very scary thing to see the big falcon go after your baby in front of you. I was in the house when it got my duck. I am glad you saved it. Island girl is right about the triple antibiotic ointment. It is what vets use. Polysporin also works and does not cause as much redness. good luck

ducksinarow said:

I understand.  They really like looking for bugs and eating grass.  I lost 2 female WH to the hawk.  I would not have cared so much if they were boys.  But loosing girls really messed up my ratio.  I had to go and buy more because my old girls started being abused by the boys.  I am sure it was a very scary thing to see the big falcon go after your baby in front of you.  I was in the house when it got my duck.  I am glad you saved it.  Island girl is right about the triple antibiotic ointment.  It is what vets use.  Polysporin also works and does not cause as much redness.  good luck

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Good to know about the Polysporin. Thanks!

sns26 said:

Okay, so about twenty minutes ago me and two of my sisters were outside watching our four ducklings swim in their pool. Out of nowhere, a giant hawk/falcon came swooping down and wrestled with one of the ducks, leaving us stunned as we stood up and screamed, trying to rid the giant bird away without getting attacked ourselves. After a second, the bird flew off and left one of the ducks with a bloody eye and the rest are FREAKED out. Mind you, they're six weeks old and not that small anymore, AND we live in a residential neighborhood where falcons aren't common. We're afraid he might've been stalking our ducks for a while.
The one who we think is blind won't eat or drink—he's sulking in the corner of his cage, and we don't know what to do. Will he die, or does he just need some time to calm down after the attack? Also, how do we prevent him from coming back and doing more damage?

(I'm traumatized and honestly I want to shoot that **** falcon. So livid.)

Click to expand...

Voice of reason here too also confirming it is illegal to take lethal action against a wild animal that was only following its instincts. The bird of prey wasn't maliciously attempting to tear your duckling apart, it was a hungry animal looking for a meal. Wild ducklings often fall prey to predators, so to them, a duckling is a duckling, even if is is in your backyard.

And you think birds of prey are not common in residential areas? Most of the time, there is a higher population of them in urban areas! There is lots of food for them. Pigeons and rats (popular prey items) thrive in urban areas because humans are messy and produce a great deal of edible trash, so they draw in larger numbers of their predators, too. Most people are too busy to be bothered to look up once in a while. If you move your eyes to the sky, you'll start noticing them. There were quite a few 'regulars' when I lived in Milwaukee. I knew where they liked to roost, for instance.

I remember one morning I was walking and as I passed under a very short ornamental tree, I noticed a lot of feathers on the ground. I looked up, and not two feet from my head was a peregrine falcon enjoying a snack of pigeon. I wish I had my camera, but I left to to her meal, not wishing to draw her ire.

To prevent another attack, protect your ducklings. They depend on you. It is your responsibility to keep them save. Make a large, covered space for them to keep them safe.

And if you did decide to take lethal action (illegal to harm the falcon AND to discharge a weapon in a residential area), you must remember that nature abhors a vacuum, and another bird of prey will replace the one killed.

Thanks for the lecture about wildlife conservation, but I did not actually plan on aiming a shotgun at the falcon mentioned. Sorry it offended you so. I look up at the sky all the time and rarely to never see hawks or other wild birds in my part of the city, by the way. I would probably say they are pretty rare. And my ducks stay in a covered pen, but we have to let them out daily to roam the grass ina larger area—it's not like we have something that spans the entire lawn AND can be protected.

A tractor style run or a portable covered pet kennel may be in their best interest. That way they can forage safely.
Birds of prey are VERY common where I live and I've had success with that inexpensive bird netting over the top of my run. I got it to keep my chickens from flying out but it has deterred wild birds from getting in. A 14'x14' piece of netting is about $5.