Watch out Coopers and sharp-shin hawks on the move!

[centrarchid]

While sitting in my yard, multple hawks have flown by causing my little flock some stress. My chickens are all hunkering down by pen and making the wirr sound everytime a hawk goes by. Both Coopers and sharp-shins seem to all be heading south.

Anyone seeing same?

 

[sourland]

They are migrating here in NJ also. All of the songbirds have been in hiding for the past week or so. My pigeons have been attacked every time that I've flown them; therefore, they are locked up until next May. I sometimes wonder why I keep pigeons when it is only possible to fly them for 4 or 5 months out of the year.

 

[wingznut76]

This was from last year.

I videoed from my living room through the bay window into the treeline in front of the house.

Edit,,, for the record it is feeding on a starling I think, no chickens were harmed.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Hi centrarchid, I have a Cooper's that visits my yard daily (i just posted in another thread about it) but it doesn't bother my 9 month old chickens. I think they would take smaller ones in a heartbeat though. But speaking of raptor migration, an American Kestrel showed up in my yard yesterday after being absent since about May. I've had one station itself in my yard for the past two winters and it has been great to watch. I got to see it take a sparrow yesterday. I'm guessing that this is the third year for the same bird, but I certainly couldn't tell them apart (and we occasionally get two). I really love to see it take on the Cooper's and, especially, the Red Tailed hawk that will occasionally fly over.

 

[i <3 chickens]

Same is happening to me but a hawk flew right into my chickens run and tried to get a turkey in the coop next to my chickens coop. so a few min later it tried to fly back in so i did something about it. so i went into the run and waited. when my chickens began to bug out i garbed a baseball bat a hit it as it swooped down to try and grab my bantam. it just fell to the ground, and i thought it was dead, so i went to go touch it and it stood up, and flew away. i haven't seen it sense.
.

 

[centrarchid]

Gallo del Cielo.

THe kestrel better be careful, both the larger species will eat it as readily as anuthing else they can catch.

 

[halo]

Quote:
Wonderful video. Good hawk, munching down on a nasty starling.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

It is crazy to watch that bird, the size of a dove, go after the big boys! We see it very often in the winter. It really does look like it would be lunch, especially with the Cooper's because it seems nearly as agile. The kestrel seems to fly circles around the red tail though. So, do you think it does this to protect it's feeding range or is it protecting a nest? I've been wondering about that. It's actually not that uncommon to see two kestrels chasing the larger hawks, even though there is typically only one kestrel that hangs out in my yard. I don't know where the other one is hanging out.

 

[centrarchid]

Red-tails and Coopers will prevail if they can get jump kestrel. Kestrel most vulnerable when on ground dealing with catch of its own.

Depends on time of year as to what motivation for mobbing by kestrels is. Breeding season for kestrels in your area I guess is March through about now, assuming double clutching occurs. Defense of feeding area seems as likely. Do you know if kestrels are year round residents? In warmer parts of range, American kestrels maintain territories yeat round. If a pair, your female might be hanging out near nest and engages where you can see her when male initiates hostilities.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

i garbed a baseball bat a hit it as it swooped down to try and grab my bantam.

When you break a Federal law, it's not too smart to tell the whole world about it.​