red tailed hawks and peregrine falcons stalking my ducks

[ducksinvt]

Hey everyone, im curious if anyone else has experienced peregrine falcons hunting in groups??? What started out to be one falcon last week has quickly turned into 6, and also 2 very very confident hawks, not sure of the kind yet, it all happened so fast, they swooped in about 15ft over head and perched up in a big tree right next to us for about 15mins. One falcon stalks my ducks from a tree, and the group of 6, watch from the air!!! Is it safe to say my ducks free ranging days are through???? There is a peregrine breeding program in my area, so could they be young falcons learning the ropes??? Today was the first day that I have personally seen all these birds, but this week my ducks have only been coming out when im home and outside with them, so im thinking this has been goin on when im not here quite a bit!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep bet their young are out now learning the ropes. Best to keep them penned with protection over head like roofing or heavy duty netting or stick as close as you can. Hawks can be very brave even with humans around an in sight.

 

[ducksinvt]

This is their permanent enclosure, tweaks will have to be made with the roofing, the ground is cover by chickenwire, as is 4 ft up on every side, 10x20, will this space be big enough now that they can only free range a very limited amount??? My plan was to have them out all day and penned up at night, but that has changed drastically since this morning!!!!!

 

[centrarchid]

Pictures of hawks and falcons? Peregrine Falcons are not going to be hunting down among so much structure.

 

[ducksinvt]

I will get some when I can, and thats what I thought too, until I was staring at one 30ft away in a tree. I dont always have my camera on me when they are here. And today was the first day that all of then were here, the 6, stayed up high, they didn't come low like the single one, but i think because he has always chased the little birds through my yard since I moved in, that thats how he's learned to hunt here, all the small wild birds have a very distinct swoop when they fly, to avoid the falcon, ive seen it first hand him take down a chickadee!! But i never thought duck would be on the menu, atleast fat domestic ducks!!! I know they feast on wild mallards, but these guys are way bigger than mallards already!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hate to be the one to say this but I would be worried about 4 legged predators along with flying the only way to protect our poultry is to have a pen that secure top bottom an sides no gaps anywhere. Hardware cloth is your best protection if you want to keep your ducks for a long time.

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

I don't know what birds of prey we have but they do come out in groups to train their young on the thermals and any other 'points of interest'.

One thing we know works on all predators is a nice barky dog with a strong protective instinct. We had one training run this Spring and two of our dogs went nuts, 'chasing' them away.

Not been back since - found an easier life somewherelse.

 

[ducksinvt]

[QUOTE="Miss Lydia, post: 22980884, member: 42327"
The pen has no gaps and is raccoon and weasel proof, i guess the pics don't show that, one inch chicken wire doubled up, 4ft high, with 2" galvanized fencing behind that all around, and the floor is complete chicken wire to prevent digging predators staked down with 450 4" galvanized stakes holding it down, im still wrkn on closing off the 6" gate gap 4 ft up, but that has hardware cloth and chicken wire on the rest of it, the roof is a heavy duty carport top and frame drove into the ground 8 inches. I will be building a wooden structure and expanding due to this rather huge inconvenience...the gable ends are both encosed with chicken wire and attached to the frame and steel fencing. They still live inside in the basement as of now, because they had full access to free ranging all day.

 

[ducksinvt]

The four legged predators were my main concern until the last cpl days, I have foxes and bobcats, and coyotes, and raccoons, and bears, so that was my main priority, they also have a locked house 7ft long by 4ft wide and high, that they will be in at night!!!

 

[ducksinvt]

I don't know what birds of prey we have but they do come out in groups to train their young on the thermals and any other 'points of interest'.

One thing we know works on all predators is a nice barky dog with a strong protective instinct. We had one training run this Spring and two of our dogs went nuts, 'chasing' them away.

Not been back since - found an easier life somewherelse.

I have been thinking about getting a dog, i have horses as well, a mini and a mare, so a dog would come in handy for many reasons!!