Coopers Hawk Working Barn Area Hard

[centrarchid]

Just shot up low and fast up fen from left. After birds going to roost in fence row.

 

[Folly's place]

we always have hawks around here, mostly red tailed, and nearly never have issues with the chickens. Young bantams are most vulnerable, but still, very few losses occur. The hawks are mostly after rodents, rabbits, and small wild birds. Mary

 

[centrarchid]

This hawk is going after the abundant songbirds, mostly migrants themselves, seeing cover in the bushes around my fence row, I have been promoting trees and shrubs with late season fruit such as sumacs, poison ivy, Persimmons, Red-Osier Dogwood, and Rusty Haw Berry.

 

[centrarchid]

Hawk still working elevated pens that do not have a broody hen. I placed buckets on their side in each pen and the chicks are using them. The hawk would take chicks if it could but may using pens in barn as launching point for going after songbirds.

Chicks in this pen in sweet size range for female Coopers to target.

 

[centrarchid]

Cool interaction with last visit. A Red-tailed Hawk flew in while Coopers was perched on a pen. Coopers bolted. Dog was very interested from driveway but did not run in. She was waiting for something. When Coopers flew out she tracked it visually then looked for other trouble to cause.

 

[centrarchid]

Hawk back again. Making adjustments. I got within 20 feet before it broke off. Will play hard ball now. SOB!

 

[Folly's place]

Sounds like it's lockdown time for a while, until your little friend moves on. Mary

 

[centrarchid]

My game is in part lockdown, already. Remember, hawk is going after chicks in a pen. Hen shown in dog kennel at beginning of thread actually got out of her pen this morning, likely because of interaction with hawk. She and her chicks were out foraging very close to where kept going after chicks in pen.

I penned her up,

And covered the pen.

This guy will be placed either in pen with chicks being targetted or in another very close to where hawk perches. He will go after hawk.

 

[centrarchid]

A point to make is that while Coopers Hawk is going after chicks in one pen I have the following free-ranged around same area: two standard-sized hens, 3 point of lay pullets, three cockerels similar to pullets, and one cock have not been touched. They do not even seem to concerned although it is the cock and the at least partially confined broody hens that do take issue with the hawk and keep is from going after anyone on the ground. Two chicks from the pen did get out later in the day and the hawk came in at least once while they were out. The larger birds may have inadvertently protected the chicks.

 

[centrarchid]

Coopers Hawk flew thru barnyard twice while I was out this morning. It is not going into barn and I think I know why. Free-range cock and hens still up on roost to catch early morning sun making so they are at hawks level when it approaches. Hawk may not like that. Hawk has also trained songbirds as to direction it approaches from (SW).

Hawk is starting to get used to me. Being young likely speeding that process.