Hawks

[DenverCityCat]

Not to sure if this is where I can post this. . . I looked around using Search so here goes. . .
So I like like right in the city, 8 min from Downtown Denver actually. Denver is very much a wildlife city. Theres so many parks & open spaces its crazy, alot following streams, canals, lakes. . .
So there's a family of Hawks, terrorizing me. One adult that was huge as right on my fence by my door so I grabbed a rake and tried to wack it one, it flew back 5 more feet and sat there on a huge tree limb. (No kiddin). Hah, They are always around. I haven't lost any birds but they are SUPER Aggressive! (To me even)
So theres a baby (makes 3 right) Who is crazy FAST! Like A Blurr fast!

I read they dont like SHINY things- (I started Gluing CDs , Shiny side out, and hanging them-) Maybe Xmas Tinsel, Pie lates- Haha, I live in the city & I dont really want my house looking like something out of a evil children's story.

Wear them Masks!

 

[cavemanrich]

My understanding is that you can scare them away with firecrackers. Not sure if those are allowed in your town. Firecrackers not associated with July 4 do sound like gunshots, and may attract unwanted attention. I know that if you tied about 5 crackers together, and lit them, it does sound like fireworks instead of a firearm, because of the duration between explosions.
If fireworks are not ILLEGAL, and your neighbors are not nighttime workers sleeping during day, I would use them.

 

[backyard pigeons]

so sorry you have them hanging around. But sadly, other than scaring it by sounds, (like caveman suggusted) you cant do anything else. It is illegal to hit them with objects, as they are protected under the migratory bird protection act.

 

[DenverCityCat]

Wow, Im familiar with the law I just didnt realize Hawks were a migratory bird!

 

[LamarshFish]

Hawks are smart enough to get used to all that shiny object crap you're talking about. They usually do not get as close to humans as you are describing, but it shows they are smart enough to know you're no harm. You need to teach them it is dangerous to be in your yard. It's wrong (and illegal) to kill or injure them, so you'll need to be creative.

 

[DenverCityCat]

Appreciate your help!

 

[Qwerty3159]

If you feed the wild birds in your area try attracting blue jays. I put out whole peanuts every day in the spring until a pair of them started coming regularly and now they bring the whole extended family every day. Their screaming wakes me up sometimes but I've seen them chase away or at least draw attention to any hawk that was in the area at the same time as them. My well stocked feeders basically guarantee at least one blue jay within earshot at all times.
I've also used various firecrackers and bottle rockets to scare off the hawks but this requires vigilance. I've been able to break a hawks focus on pigeons in the air with such noises. The strategy comes with some disadvantages because the noises will also scare the pigeons at first but they get used to them much quicker than the hawks

I used to have hawks harass my birds daily even when they were just in the loft. This gets worse in the winter when birds are migrating (new hawks have to learn they cant access the cooped up birds while the local hawks already know) and also more desperate for food. Summer is the time where I've seen the least hawks.