Sharp Shinned Hawk is Lurking...

[KerriChick]

We live in the east bay burbs and have red tails, coopers, kites, great horned and barn owls and more. I am fairly certain it is a sharp shinned due to the slightly smaller size, but it was a juvenile I believe so it could be either.

We live by an open space with lots of wildlife but are surrounded by neighbors with tall privacy fences and large dogs, so that keeps a lot of predators at bay.

 

[KerriChick]

No?
Sounds scary to me!
Im intrigued by the idea of fishing line crisscrossing the area overhead. I haven't tried it yet. Contemplating doing it in the garden.

Not sure I could do fishing line-we have weekly gardeners and the kids would likely mess with the lines. Thank you for the idea though, I have thought on it a time or two but realized it was not a good option for us.

 

[Birdielee]

Not sure I could do fishing line-we have weekly gardeners and the kids would likely mess with the lines. Thank you for the idea though, I have thought on it a time or two but realized it was not a good option for us.

Sure. I imagined it way up, like 10 ft in the air. I guess you'd need something to staple or tie it to.

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

i’m with the Golden eagle Audubon society. Well, I used to be. I need to renew my membership.

is this the bird you saw?

View attachment 2357348

It seems doubtful to me that a Sharpshinned Hawk will go after chickens. They usually go after small birds, like finches and Juncos in my experience.

Then again, I don’t know much about Sharp Shinned Hawks. I do know a lot about larger raptors, though.

I guess we're alike then, I know a hefty amount of raptor knowledge myself!
May I ask, are you a falconer?

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

Not sure I could do fishing line-we have weekly gardeners and the kids would likely mess with the lines. Thank you for the idea though, I have thought on it a time or two but realized it was not a good option for us.

You really should do something, I use flagging tape like they use for landmarkers, It is very stretchy and we have never had a hawk/ eagle harass our chooks ever since!
This is what it looks like, we use bright pink tape, and bright colored rope

Dont mind my wallpaper, I'm a big-time LoZ fan!

 

[jnicholes]

I guess we're alike then, I know a hefty amount of raptor knowledge myself!
May I ask, are you a falconer?

No, but I wish I was!

 

[CluckerFamily]

I would keep them in a covered run. Some people use net fencing to protect their flocks more from areal attacks.

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

I would keep them in a covered run. Some people use net fencing to protect their flocks more from areal attacks.

We use that as well, the net works amazing

 

[RoosterWhisperer]

No, but I wish I was!

Me too!

 

[centrarchid]

@KerriChick is your raptor still coming in? I am having the little guys moving through now, but they are staying long. Here they are going after songbirds using barnyard area as cover. Based on behavior of chickens in orchard, a hawk has been harassing them until dogs come over to see what is going on.