How do they know?

[CarolynPerth]

We have a lot of birds visit our yard that are the same size and roughly same shape as a hawk, eg cockatoos, ravens and corellas. But when a hawk shows up and perches nearby my girls go nuts until I go scare it off. It must be instinct becuase a bird of prey is a threat to chicks but how do they know? Anyone have a good explanation or link to an article? In the same vein, from day one they are fine with the dog but the cats spook them more.

 

[lcw]

its just there instinct i guess.mine do that too but instead of complain until i come scare it off they go running and my peacock scares him off.

 

[teach1rusl]

LOL...I've kind of wondered the same thing. They pay no attention to Can. geese flying overhead, but they sure do a hawk (never had any land near us). They seemed fascinated yesterday, watching a heron swoop down by the lake and then back up and over...lol. But they didn't run.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Different silhouettes, different patterns of flight.

.....Alan.