Doe Shooter
Active Member
What kind of hawk. They have been regular visitors for several years.
These
What kind of hawk
- Thread starter Doe Shooter
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What kind of hawk. They have been regular visitors for several years.
These
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Red-tailed hawk, aka chicken hawk, as evidenced by the tail, known for shrill screaming at high circling altitudes, they are very deadly on small game populations, especially game birds, these birds basically single handedly wiped out the pheasant population in PA in the 80's.
I was building a barn out in the rural countryside for a cityslicker who'd just moved out back from center city Philadelphia, and he exclaimed how wonderful it was to live out in the wilds where you had eagles screaming overhead every day. He had a dozen chickens inside a fence in his yard and he complained that they were just mysteriously disappearing one by one every few days. Those circling Red-tails were screaming just like eagles, and us farm boys were grinning from ear to ear.
I was building a barn out in the rural countryside for a cityslicker who'd just moved out back from center city Philadelphia, and he exclaimed how wonderful it was to live out in the wilds where you had eagles screaming overhead every day. He had a dozen chickens inside a fence in his yard and he complained that they were just mysteriously disappearing one by one every few days. Those circling Red-tails were screaming just like eagles, and us farm boys were grinning from ear to ear.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Those Red-tails probably think that they died and went to heaven, sitting on top of all those deer carcasses.
Red-tails are very large birds, they are almost the size of an eagle. They are very protected,
Red-tails are very large birds, they are almost the size of an eagle. They are very protected,
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Killing them is a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Killing a red-tailed hawk is punishable by a fine up to $15,000 and/or 6 months in prison. ...
A person will get into a lot of trouble for shooting these destructive predators, by contrast in the US you can kill an unborn baby and get congratulated for it by the providers that do it.
A person will get into a lot of trouble for shooting these destructive predators, by contrast in the US you can kill an unborn baby and get congratulated for it by the providers that do it.
dogghr
Well-Known Member
I agree w red tail but we always referred to the Coopers Hawk as a chicken Hawk , not the red tail.
When I mow my red tails always show knowing there are mice and snakes to be had. I’ve watched many attack on such.
Red tails can drop at well over 100 mph. Crazy.
I’ve watched the Cooper swoop 30 yds thru thick brush to grab a squirrel before it could take 3 steps. Cool stuff.
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Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
I've got a lot of firsthand experience with hawks preferring chickens in an open top pen over any other food source, but a quick online search shows that this simple fact that every farmer knows is no longer politically correct with wildlife biologists, they are evidently being taught that predators need to be protected at all costs, because every page states that people are demeaning hawks and encouraging poaching when they call them chicken hawks. Here's what Wikipedia has to say:
In the United States, chickenhawk or chicken hawk is an unofficial designation for two species of North American hawks in the family Accipitridae: Cooper's hawk, also called a quail hawk, the sharp-shinned hawk, and the Buteo species red-tailed hawk. The term "chicken hawk", however, is inaccurate. Historically, misinterpretation of the name "chicken hawk" has labelled these birds as pests, hence justifying their slaughter. Officially, per the American Ornithologists' Union's list of bird names, the term has become obsolete as applied to birds, but still enjoys widespread colloquial use in rural areas. Wikipedia
dogghr
Well-Known Member
That cool info. Along the lines of the Sharp shinned Hawk, their talons ar not as efficient as other hawks for killing their prey so they often impale their prey on barbed wire fence or such to kill said prey. Never seen that done even tho I have watched them hoping to see.
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Doe Shooter
Active Member
Thanks everyone. So much good info. I remember as a youngster plowing with a JD "G" and having a lot of company with critters looking for a free meal as the 2 bottom rolled out the mice ,moles etc. At night mostly foxes (not a lot yotes back then) waiting just outside of the lights. I do remember hawks were shot on sight. Great stories all. I'm glad to have them, although they may be tough on the turkey poults.
THE LLC
Well-Known Member
And an unhatched egg is DEFINITELY a hawk (or eagle) per Federal law. In the UNITED STATES.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
The coopers hawk is much bigger than a sparrow hawk but they are easy to confuse;
Sparrow hawk (American Kestrel) (9-inch) body length
Sharp-shinned hawk (10-inch) body length (often mistaken for a sparrow hawk)
Coopers hawk (18 inch) body length (often mistaken for a sharp-shinned hawk)
Goshawk (20-inch) body length
Broad-winged (Buteo) Red-tailed hawk (24 inches) body length
