A hawk was trapped in the pen!!

[MinxFox]

Today after school when my dad and I went to feed the peafowl, I noticed a dark figure that looked like a hawk quickly bounce off the netting. I turned to my dad and said it looked like it was a hawk and that maybe it was trapped in the pen. He said, "Naw I think it was a crow and it just flew into the netting and left". When I entered the pen I saw a hawk! It was frantically trying to find a way out of the pen and it kept bouncing off the netting. 4 of our 5 peafowl (Ice, Pip, Alto, & Damsel) cornered the hawk in a little lean-to we have made for the peafowl to hide under. They kept it there until we could get the peafowl catching net and a rake. My dad tried to catch the hawk but it shot out from the lean-to and continued to fly around bouncing off the netting. Then with one bounce it fell to the ground infront of Dragon, who began to display for the poor hawk! Then the hawk darted when it saw us and my dad was able to net it. Luckily it wasn't a large hawk, it was less than half the size of a peahen. It rolled over on its back in defense with its tallons up and it was panting. It was a really pretty hawk it had red eyes, a grey back, a long tail, and a white and creme dappled chest. My dad slid the rake under the nett so we didn't have to get to close to those tallons and scooped up the hawk. Luckily we didn't ruffle its feathers and it didn't lose any. My dad took it to a bush so that if it was exhausted it could hide in the bushes hidden while it recovered. The hawk ran through the bushes and flew up onto a low oak tree branch and sat there resting. We think he was probably after some small birds and got stuck in the pen. Little birds like going in our pen a lot. We looked through our bird book and concluded that we think the hawk was a sharp shinned hawk. It sure was pretty and it was neat to see the reaction of the peafowl!

 

[Kev]

brrr.. sorry, just can't regard them as 'pretty'. They are absolute killers of chicks, pigeons(had to give up my pigeons because of them), pheasants.

I can understand the behavioral aspect being interesting though!

 

[wegotchickens]

I love hawks and have a lot of respect for them.
Thank you for not harming it, but releasing it so thoughtfully!!

 

[artsyrobin]

i have a love-hate relationship with them- they really are beautiful, too bad you didn't have a chance to get pics!

 

[krazychick28]

It was probably after your peahens!

 

[MinxFox]

Well that hawk was so small I don't really think it was after my peahens. It was afraid of the peafowl. I respect hawks they are very powerful birds and I enjoy watching them and hearing their cries. The peafowl are pretty used to hawks there are some big red tails that fly over a lot hunting all the doves. There are so many small birdies around here it really attracts the hawks (there were a lot of hawks before we got peafowl). I know when you raise birds predators can be very anoying and you tend to hate them, but I just really like predators. I didn't want to hurt that hawk I wanted to save it just like I saved the little birds that got caught in our netting when we first put it up. They might kill people's pet birds, but they do it for food and not to be mean. Anyways I just really like all birds. Saving anything is always fun!

Yep I wish we could have gotten pictures. Oh well I didn't want to stress the hawk out too much it was pretty tired and scared. Lol I know I sound crazy to some of you for thinking the hawk was soo cool!

 

[Choctaw Valley Farm]

The Native Americans have a Great Respect for Hawks and Eagles, thanks for letting it go on its way and not harming it. But pictures would have been pretty cool.

Steve

 

[Kev]

I wouldn't have hurt it either, just give it a couple not very nice words before letting it go or shooing it out.

It's just too visceral when you see one swoop down over your head and snatch a chick just 6 feet away from you then land up in a tree and helplessly watch it rip apart said chick alive... and during hawk season, all chicks must be locked up 24/7 until they are too big for them to try. That's fall- mid spring, when everything is green and full of bugs.. perfect chick time but nooooo...

I know "it's nature" but like I said, too visceral.

To be fair they never went after my adult standard size chickens or peafowl. Redtails never went after them either, now those birds I do admire. I saw one swoop down and catch a ground squirrel right in my yard, that was so cool. My chickens and peafowl did not think that was so cool though! (screamed and hid.. bawked at all hawks for a good while after)

Most beautiful of all are kestrels. Lots of color on those!

 

[AndysPeafowlSanctuary]

Thanks for not killing the hawk, I know they can be a burden on the farm yard animals but they were here first and they should be respected. When I was a teenager I shot a hawk and nipped it in the wing. My grandma(bless her soul) beat the

out of me and spoke of upsetting earth spirits and something about the eye of the hawk( COMPLETELY FREAKED ME OUT) . I'm not to certain what she meant but that was the last time I ever shot at a hawk or anything for that matter. The majority of my family on my moms side is Native American and My dads side is a big Creole Mix. I guess i could be called a mutt lol Anywho moral of the story is to respect the land and all that inhabits it.

After all it could all be gone one day.

 

[MinxFox]

Quote:
Yep I am Native American mainly Creek Wind Clan then some other Native American too...We found a trail of tears picture of a girl walking the trail and she looks just like me...It was very creepy.

Kev my dad really likes kestrels too. I like that South American raptor called a Harpie Eagle, they are so big they can grap monkeys and sloths out of trees!