How do I post a picture of a Hawk in my back yard

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry to piggy back... can you identify mine?

ETA: neighbors dog get's benefit of the doubt, in my book.

 

[Qwerty3159]

I wouldn't worry about that particular hawk because the red shouldered hawk is a bit smaller and far less powerful than the red tailed hawk. They often like to be around wetlands because they'll eat frogs and small creatures of that nature, they usually don't go after prey as large as a chicken unlike the red tail.

 

[Viking84]

Adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK Buteo lineatus

Thanks, and Red-shouldered makes sense. Those trees overlook a 60 acre lake our back yard borders. I usually see these hawks and an occasional Osprey, looking towards the lake instead of into our yard. The fact that they inhabit swampy/wetland areas and mostly eat frogs,lizards and small rodents makes me less worried about it eating our chickens. I am convinced that it was the neighbors dogs that got our leghorn. The only 2 chickens we have had go missing is a leghorn and an Ancona. Of our Brahmas, Brown sex-links, Wyandottes ,Black Minorcas, leghorns and Anconas. Only the leghorn and anconas fly over the fence into the neighbors yard.

 

[centrarchid]

Sorry to piggy back... can you identify mine?
View attachment 2026978
ETA: neighbors dog get's benefit of the doubt, in my book.

Looks like immature Red-shouldered Hawk.

 

[jolenesdad]

I’ve got a red shoulder hawk that sits on my fences around my chicken pasture while they’re all out.

red tail hawks and Cooper’s hawks will go after chickens for sure. Cooper’s hawks have to eat them on site, occasionally red tails can carry off whole or part of a chicken.

there are generalizations to hawk behavior and then ones that buck the trends. I find most of my hawk attacks to be during one of the migrating times. Hawks hunt for what they are taught to hunt so a hawk that was taught to hunt squirrels and mammals will keep hunting that as opposed to birds usually, but a very hungry hawk will eat what it can.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Only the leghorn and anconas fly over the fence into the neighbors yard.

I guess that makes them fair game, sorry for your loss.

Maybe consider clipping wings on those who are endangering their life in that manner? I thought that would be my Leghorn's fate also and expected not to like them. But she was a great addition to the flock that everyone loved to see the most.

One BYC'er even SAW an alleged carrion eater attack and kill one of their chickens. It was a turkey vulture I believe. As stated by Jolenesdad, it only takes one to learn a new behavior and pass it on to their offspring. Don't let your guard down... even rats, and some squirrels will prey on chickens given the chance.