falcon

[Hobbits Mommie]

Have you seen this in person? Odds are witness was doing a lot of blinking and not paying attention to the world around. I have seen people, several at a time, walk down a sidewalk right past a Coopers Hawk that was walking on ground picking up sticks for nest. The people did not even notice the sizable bird with pretty gray coloration and fierce red eyes very close to their feet. I think that pattern represents the majority of people, even those keeping chickens. Lost connections to the world.

I actually had one swoop down to try to get my Chihuahua. When they fly their wings are silent so unless you catch one at rest, you won't have any warning. I also had one swoop onto my covered porch and grab a pigeon that was foraging no more than 2 feet from me.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

This idea that everyone could/should just be ‘situationally aware’ anytime there is a hawk around is foolishness...

I’d think it’s largely dependent on the terrain and tree cover...where there is surrounding forest or large shade trees this idea becomes a pipe dream.

I have a pair of broad wing hawks that have been here for a several weeks, I’ve only spotted them a couple times and only know they are here when I hear them calling to one another as one or the other of them adjusts positions in the timber...

...the rest of the critters almost never react to them when they’re doing this... and generally only react after the hawks have picked off a chipmunk or something.

Being a bird watcher and someone who actively works at IDing birds by sound these days, I’m nearly constantly tuned in to the ambient bird noise when I’m outside or have the windows open, to the point that it can be a distraction...

....with that in mind, I can attest to the fact that there are a few species of hawks around here that can be in the immediate area and go undetected by the other wildlife.

There are enough trees around here that hawks can post up and wait, and/or glide through and strike before the resident birds, squirrels and chipmunks have time to react... I’ve seen it happen many times....

I’ve sat on our covered porch purposefully listening to the bird calls, seeing how many I could ID by sound, and while doing so have had a red shouldered hawk swoop in and take mourning doves before any bird sounded the alarm....she got so good at it she started to just flush them, and then arc around and hit them in the air as the took the predictable escape route.

But I’ve seen it happen the other way too, where the song birds sound the alarm ... maybe it was the wrens or the towhees that sounded the alarm first, then the blue jays come to investigate, etc. ... and then Mrs. Hawk flys off knowing she’s about to get harassed...

A few years ago I had a big fat fox squirrel and a young Cooper’s hawk in the yard for three mornings in a row... the hawk was too green to know how to take the squirrel, and the squirrel would lazily avoid his attempts, several times in a row, until the hawk would just sit and watch the squirrel feed, rather puzzled... it was all pretty amusing.

Simply put, it can happen many different ways... and what works for one person who knows it all in their small part of world does not translate to success for others... and of course old Ma Nature likes to mix it up and put young hawk against old squirrel just for giggles sometimes too.

 

[ValerieJ]

Morning. I have a flock of five(5) hens of assorted breeds that are 13 - 14 weeks old. I have no rooster due to city ordinance. they are in a secure coop except for when I let them out for some supervised free ranging. Yesterday, I noticed a large falcon in the area. The longer the day went on, the falcon went from in the area to paying a lot of attention to my coop, to the point of perching close and watching my girls. I only allow them out to range when I am in the yard with them. Is my obvious presence with my girls enough to deter this falcon from attacking? Thanks in advance for any advice or shared experience.

You've already received a lot of good answers, but I thought I'd share a recent experience in my neighborhood. My neighbor was working on his chicken fencing and free ranging the flock while he worked. A Bald Eagle swooped not 10 ft behind him, grabbed a chicken and was off with it before he could get turned around. So, I would add to the "no" answer. You are not a deterrent to a hungry BOP.

 

[Hobbits Mommie]

This idea that everyone could/should just be ‘situationally aware’ anytime there is a hawk around is foolishness...

There are enough trees around here that hawks can post up and wait, and/or glide through and strike before the resident birds, squirrels and chipmunks have time to react... I’ve seen it happen many times....

 

[centrarchid]

Trolls are back

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Trolls are back

 

[imnukensc]

I suspect what the OP saw was a kite-----probably a Mississippi Kite. The area of Texas where the OP is located would hardly be considered falcon territory. Kites pose no threat to chickens, but closely resembles falcons.