Falcons killing chickens and not afraid of humans

[NicInNC]

A falcon killed one of our chickens and a neighbors chicken today. How do we know it was a falcon? Because the little girl whos chicken it had ahold of at first CAUGHT the falcon and was trying to get her chicken out of it's claws! She got the chicken, but it was too late. Then they called to warn us about what had happened so we could make sure that none of our chickens were loose but it was too late for us also. Chee-Chee was dead beside the creek and feathers were everywhere. The falcon had the nerve to come back and my daughter went chasing after it with a stick and it didn't fly off until she was only 3 feet away from hitting it. It keeps coming back and doesn't act scared of us at all.

I want to know WHO made up these stupid migratory bird laws protecting falcons and vultures, which we have ALL OVER around our house. Someone shot a deer the other day and there were 16...yes, we counted 16 vultures flying above our yard obviously looking for the deer that had been shot (because the moron that kills the deer guts them and leaves their "leftovers" in the woods instead of being a responsible hunter and disposing of them properly or burying them). I'm really having a hard time preventing myself from going out and killing them now.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Some people hunt with falcons, have permits to keep them. By the way you are talking about this particular one, it sounds like it is used to humans. i don't know who you could call to find out, but I would find out if anyone in your area has a permit to hunt with a falcon. and go from there. As for deer, your supposed to field dress it and leave the entrails. Be glad the vultures are going for the entrails--it keeps things in balance--as in--not going after your critters.

 

[chicks4life]

Maybe you could get an Plastic Owl and display it outside. For some reason I thought owls hunt other predator birds like falcons.

 

[yotetrapper]

Contact your local DNR and or USDA office. sometimes they will allow troublesome protected wildlife to be killed.

 

[highcountrychickens]

Oh man, I'm really sorry you lost your hen. That's heartbreaking.

Actually, I'm a licensed falconer, and can tell you a bit about it - The likelihood is that it is what is called a "passage" bird, meaning that it hatched last spring, and because this is it's first winter, it's getting a bit desperate. A plastic owl will help, but you might also consider calling http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/. They may know of a falconer who has a trapping license who is looking for a falconry bird. It's still trapping season here in Wyoming and Idaho, but I don't know the regs there. It might help if you can get a photo of the bird - otherwise, the folks at that center (I'm sorry I don't know if they are North or South Carolina... suspect they are in Charlotte) might have some recommendations for you.

I can contact some friends who are falconers, and will post again tomorrow... that world is pretty tight, and surely some of them will have ideas for you. They are a really responsible bunch.

Chicks4life is right - birds of prey hunt birds of prey - so in the meantime, put up a couple of plastic owls... if you can get the kind that are hollow and sit on a rod so they can move a bit - they will be the most effective.

 

[OverEggstended]

Wether someone has a licence to do falconry will not help you. Falconers must apprentice with a master falconer for years before even being able to go off on their own. The apprentice is required to catch his first falcon in the wild and the bird must be a juvinile (under 2 years old but getting or having adult plummage) and must be of a very specific few species.

I doubt I will find anyone on here that really appreciates the fact, but to take a wild animal that has no real need of you what-so-ever and convince it to stay with you when it could easily fly off astounds me. That really fits that old saying of "If you love something, set it free..."

Anyway...
These "starter" birds are often released back into the wild when they stop wishing to hunt... or many just fly off. Or a dozen other reasons.

If you really would like to get rid of the bird, and it is unafraid of humans... many falconers have aprentices that would highly prize such a bird. Call the falconers association in your state and tell them what is going on. Even if they do not have anyone that wishes to "man" the bird... most are quite willing to remove nuisence birds.

Hope this helps.

(They really are gorgeous birds and how they are trained is amazing!!!)

And before you think I am on the bird's side... let me tell you about a beautiful blue heron that likes my koi pond! Anyone have any good heron recipies? OK... I wouldn't... but I have thought up some pretty mean tricks to pull on that big brat! Many involve an electrified wire "net" about 6 inches off the ground around the bank of the pond! Hooked to an intermittant power supply! MWHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[OverEggstended]

Quote:
Looks like while I was trying to type (on a laptop propped at a 30 degree angle from me so it does not overheat... what can I say, it has been to Iraq, Afganistan, and whatnot! LOL) you beat me to the punch!

Yes... identifying the type of hawk/falcon would certainly help, as it may or may not make a good bird for falconry. Accipiters make poor canidates usually.

 

[Keenonf]

Maybe you can shoot it with a bb gun or a pellet gun. It'll hurt it but won't kill it. This may sound like a strange suggestion but if you had some left over fireworks from the last 4th of july maybe you can fire some at it. That'll scare the crap out of it

 

[highcountrychickens]

Quote:
Well, both would kill a small falcon, and that would be a federal offense - big chance to take. The fireworks are a good idea... but would that scare your hens too?

Have you had a chance to see the falcon closely? If you see it again, and spot some jesses (leather straps on it's legs), call your local G&F office, because it's a falconry bird. Falconers pay great rewards to retrieve their birds, and will likely offer to replace your chicken...