Are hawks scared of humans?

[FortCluck]

Apparently you haven't seen Ellie.

The problem is if they swoop down to grab prey on my yard, they can't get back out because they need their full wingspan to get back up with the prey or they'll not be successful in getting their prey.

I have fencing all around their free range area, they can try to make it out but holding a chicken and managing through fishing line is one task these hawks don't want to do. They've found easier food sources

 

[DuckyDonna]

When my Daisy got killed by the falcon (yes we have them here) I walked right up onto it. That bird looked me in the eyes and couldn't have cared less that I was standing 8 feet away while he was killing my Daisy. He spread out his wings and dared me to do anything about it. He didn't move but I did. I backed off like an idiot and he flew away. I should have taken the pitch fork and impaled him but I couldn't wrap my mind around what I was seeing.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I think the point is that the hawk won’t see the fishing line and will become entangled and scared off if it tries to attack. I have done it in the past too.
I used to worry about my ducks. We have Red tailed hawks and Cooper’s hawks in the area. Red-tailed hawks hunt by sitting still in a tree or in a post a waiting for prey to move. They don’t really hunt while flying over. They are big enough to kill a duck and are the ones the cartoons call “chicken hawks”. I have seen them near my house, had them fly over, but in three years of free ranging everyday, they have never killed one of my adult ducks. They have killed the neighbors chickens though. I do provide my ducks with a lot of bushes for cover.
Cooper’s hawks are a much smaller hawk with a long, striped tail. They hunt on the fly. They will come around a tree or building really fast and hit their prey. Because they are smaller their usual prey is small birds. I have come home to piles of sparrow feathers a few feet from the ducks from Cooper hawk lunches. I say all this to say that I know a desperate hawk could go after my ducks but in three years of daytime free ranging, they haven’t. I would rather my ducks have room to move about happily and run the risk.

 

[Runner duck mom]

Hey Sara, I've had a couple of HUGE hawks do a recon flight over our new duck run recently. They were really really big. Mark saw them too. Not red-tail either. Maybe eagles Idk but I'd be really careful with that.

The netting is in the yard waiting for you to pick it up. You could attach it to trees even temporarily if you have to. I'd be really careful because since we've had no rain in months it might be affecting their food source.

This guy was pretty big as far as hawks go, I just couldn't get a good enough look to see what kind he was.
I was wondering if it had something to do with the lack of rain as well.
They sure aren't getting into your run at all.
Scott has been saying they will be fine with us close by but since I've never had to scare a hawk off before I'm just not sure what to expect if it happens.
Thank you for the netting Im thinking the next couple of days if you're home.
Enough stories here to scare me into keeping them in their run...no matter how much Olive is currently protesting, lol.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Have personally seen a hawk going after meat chickens in a pen not more than several strides away from me. I had a dog on my hip too.

They will sit 20' up in a tree and just watch and hiss at you and wait for you to walk away sometimes. Sometimes they get fed up with you and leave, especially if they were unsuccessful anyhow.

Most of them leave if they see a person or dog. But some of them birbs be HUNGRY and willing to risk it.

Your presence may be a deterrent but is def not a fool proof guarantee of safety. If you want an effective scaring tool I suggest a broom.

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

Just a thoughtb has anyone tried bottle rockets for the ones perching in the trees? Would think the "bang" would scare them off. At least for a time?

 

[aart]

Just a thoughtb has anyone tried bottle rockets for the ones perching in the trees? Would think the "bang" would scare them off. At least for a time?

Illegal to even harass a BOP in the USA....but one could probably play dumb if you ever got caught.

 

[Shadrach]

Yes hawks are scared of humans and yes having a watchful human close to the flock will help deter any hawk.
Some hawks may try to carry their prey away, some either don't have the power, or eat close to the strike site.
Knowing which hawk/falcon/buzzard/eagle you are dealing with helps.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Illegal to even harass a BOP in the USA....but one could probably play dumb if you ever got caught.

Actually not true.
https://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/policies-and-regulations/3-200-13FAQ.pdf
https://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-13.pdf
Right on the application to kill/remove birds of prey it has a whole area where you need to list the non lethal methods you've used to deter the birds it even lists airhorns and pyrotechnics and non lethal cannons etc. as valid options. In the FAQ it clearly states that harassing most birds of prey IS legal except for endangered special and eagles (which are not hawks/falcons/owls).

Also OP, there was a heckin perigine that took down a seagull of all things in the parkinglot next to my partners work not two weeks ago. It was totally unphased by the large number of people within a few feet of it screaming about the hawk while the police stacked shopping carts around it to prevent people from getting hurt by touching it. (Sometimes suburban folks aren't the brightest.) It just kept eating its prize.

 

[FortCluck]

I think the point is that the hawk won’t see the fishing line and will become entangled and scared off if it tries to attack. I have done it in the past too.
I used to worry about my ducks. We have Red tailed hawks and Cooper’s hawks in the area. Red-tailed hawks hunt by sitting still in a tree or in a post a waiting for prey to move. They don’t really hunt while flying over. They are big enough to kill a duck and are the ones the cartoons call “chicken hawks”. I have seen them near my house, had them fly over, but in three years of free ranging everyday, they have never killed one of my adult ducks. They have killed the neighbors chickens though. I do provide my ducks with a lot of bushes for cover.
Cooper’s hawks are a much smaller hawk with a long, striped tail. They hunt on the fly. They will come around a tree or building really fast and hit their prey. Because they are smaller their usual prey is small birds. I have come home to piles of sparrow feathers a few feet from the ducks from Cooper hawk lunches. I say all this to say that I know a desperate hawk could go after my ducks but in three years of daytime free ranging, they haven’t. I would rather my ducks have room to move about happily and run the risk.

My free range run is 3000 sq ft, I only have fencing to keep out the neighbors dogs. I'm increasing this area to 8,000 sq ft this weekend so there's no way I can cover it besides the fishing line. I don't want my animals cramped up in a small run because I fear predators. There will always be predators no matter what. I've seen some chickens in small runs and most are pretty beat up due to not enough space.