Coopers Hawk kill

[mjfog]

Coming onto my property this morning after my morning bike ride, I noticed a crow sized bird on the ground beneath my 3 racks. I parked my car and noticed the bird flew to an oak some 50-60 feet from my colonies. I slowly approached and was able to identify the bird as an adult male Coopers Hawk. The hawk was plucking feathers from its kill and didn't seem to be interested in my presence. I walked to my house, retrieved my binoculars, returned and the hawk was still there. Sure enough, the kill was a female martin. So the 12 to 15 martins that have been at my racks the last few days are now done to 11 to 14!
This is the first "kill" I've actually seen at my colony and I'm now beginning my 4th season. Must have been others but I just "missed" them.
Happy Martining, Mike

[Whippy]

Mike,

This is a stupid question to ask a Martening veteran but have you put up decoys around the area? I feel like Flounder in Animal House "Are you guys playing cards?"

I did this last year and did not lose a single Martin to the many hawk attacks I had. It was kind of funny to watch the Hawk try to remove a decoy from its perch. I put the decoys on poles about 10 to 15 feet from my gourd rack and about 5 feet below the level of the gourd rack. So when the Martins flew off in their normal dip down style to gain speed, they would cruise past the decoys and the hawk would hit the decoy rather than the Martin. A lot of times the hawk would go straight to the decoys and not chase the Martins at all.

I chose not to put the decoys on the housing as I didn't want to attract the Hawk to the gourds.

Anyway. Thought I'd throw that out at you as I'm sitting here reading stuff before I go outside to install the Jangley T-14.

Coolwhips

[D. Doll MN]

[quote=Whippy post_id=294742 time=1611856022 user_id=19544]
Mike,

This is a stupid question to ask a Martening veteran but have you put up decoys around the area? I feel like Flounder in Animal House "Are you guys playing cards?"

I did this last year and did not lose a single Martin to the many hawk attacks I had. It was kind of funny to watch the Hawk try to remove a decoy from its perch. I put the decoys on poles about 10 to 15 feet from my gourd rack and about 5 feet below the level of the gourd rack. So when the Martins flew off in their normal dip down style to gain speed, they would cruise past the decoys and the hawk would hit the decoy rather than the Martin. A lot of times the hawk would go straight to the decoys and not chase the Martins at all.

I chose not to put the decoys on the housing as I didn't want to attract the Hawk to the gourds.

Anyway. Thought I'd throw that out at you as I'm sitting here reading stuff before I go outside to install the Jangley T-14.

Coolwhips
[/quote]

Very good suggestion as to put the decoys in the fly ways instead of on the houseing. That is what I was doing at my old colony and not knowing it, I had any place I could put them besided the houseing. One other suggestion I used is you can also buy from sporting goods stores, Morming Dove decoys (there used for hunting doves) that the coopes will attack quicker the martins. They are also a coopers main food source, slow moving.. And sorry the cooper found your colony, have to hope the cooper is also just moving north. My old colony coopers were there every year and my colony never went back to full capacity again. Was once told by other birder we invite the hawks to come eat at our martin McDonalds. There right but it does't make it any easy watching them raid your houseing daily. Discourage them anyway you can, even heard where one person used a high pressure water hose when they would attack.

[flyin-lowe]

I have seen hawks hit my decoys and I've had hawks grab a martin and take off with it. I can only imagine since I don't stare at my housing 24/7 that for every attack I see there must be a bunch that I miss. Typically they are in and out in a matter of seconds. I can usually look out and tell by the way the colony is acting that there was either just an attack or a hawk was spotted in the area.

[steve r]

I had a Cooper’s hawk completely devastate my colony. I used to have a thriving colony and one of the first to posts on returning martins. My colony has been completely abandoned due the constant attach from the Cooper’s hawk. Last year I had one pair down from 30 at the peak. I tried everything to stop the attacks decoys, loud noise to scare it off but the attacks just kept coming.

[mjfog]

Coolwhips, Dick Doll and flyin-lowe,
Should I assume all the hawks you folks refer to are accipiters? A peregrine or merlin could catch a martin; a broad winged hawk, not so much. I have never seen either of the first two over my colonies and the red tails and red shoulders that are very common in my skies are no match for martins. Coopers and sharpies; look out!! Great horns, yes but no incidents yet during my landlording.
I paid particular attention to my colony and noticed the absence of any martin activity after the Cooper's hawk kill (about 9:45 AM). Since my first arrivals on the 16th of this month, I usually have birds coming and going during the day with maybe a long two hour insect hunting gap absence. Today, my racks had no activity after 9:45AM. I was concerned.
Then 5:30 PM arrived. First 3, then 5 and by 6PM I was able to count over 20 birds. At 6:05 they were all safe into the gourds. So I increased my number in spite of losing a bird. I'll sleep better.
My racks are 60 to 70 feet distant from tree canopies but I don't have any decoys in place. One of you guys responded regarding the positive effect of using decoys. I'll keep you posted about how things progress. Don't want to lose my martins to a single Coopers Hawk so perhaps decoys are in the plan. But I do respect every species. And accipiters prefer birds, including martins. All God's creatures gotta eat!!
Happy Martining, Mike

[brent]

Sorry to hear that. I use decoys and they do work. I've seen hawks attack the decoys while the martins fled. I've seen a hawk take a martin despite having the decoys, too. But I ordered more to add to what I have because if it saves lives it's worth it. Also I wanted to add that boat horns, type you can get at Walmart, are effective. PMCA admin and another forum member suggested it. If you're out keep it near. See a hawk, sound the horn. I've chased many away that way.
Brent

[Whippy]

Mike,

The hawks i have are Coopers Hawks. They have nest about 1/4 mile from my colony. Here's how I have my decoys set up:

[Whippy]

Another photo:

[Whippy]

Heres a photo of Steve Kroenkes decoy set up in am ore open scenario:

[Whippy]

Heres a close up of mine mounted. The rod is a 1/4 fiber glass rod and extends all the way into the neck of the decoy. It is a snug fit and it won't come off. I drilled a hole where the original screw holds the mount ring on. I just took those off and inserted the rod after drilling the 1/4 inch hole.

[Kegger]

thanks for posting Mike, alot of good tips and great info, fantastic read thanks guys!!!!

[D. Doll MN]

My Problems were with cooper hawks, and was only in the begining of the season and the end of season. I had a steady colony of 47-50 birds untill the coppers found my colony, after that it was 38-40 pairs. It was hard for the coopers to attacks when the colony was at full force. But then there was also other food for the coopers, like young robins to ear. I lost a bunch of young each year because they could't fly fast enough. But I used a lot of different kinds of decoys and moved them around a lot so if he got fooled in one spot, he might not go for it again. Because after they hit that hard plastic decoy a few times think they would get decoy shy but never notice. That one morning dove decoy I had still worked the best. It was foam with a big clamp cloth pin on botton to clip on anywhere. That thing had a lot of pin needle holes in it from being grabbed by the hawks so many times. I never got to witness the attacks on them decoys but it sure would have been funny. Because i had a small four foot cord tired to the botton clip. That when the hawk grabbed it and flew off he only went four feet before it got to end of rope. They did finally tear the clip off one decoy and disappeared with it, but money well spent.
The coopers at my place had there hunting down to a precise art. In the morning they would attack from the east and in evening from the west always with the sun at there backs and sun in martin eyes. And the female cooper had one other method that must have worked for her because I seen her use it three different times. She would circle high in the sky over the top of my martin colony. After a few dozen martins would go up to attack her she would just kept circling around and around. Untill one martin would get lower under her and not paying attention she would go into her dive. I never seen her get one but here using it three times tells me it work for her. So anything you can do to make them want to chase the sparrows and starling and decoys can help. Because they are going to find something to eat.

[Spiderman]

“The coopers at my place had there hunting down to a precise art. In the morning they would attack from the east and in evening from the west always with the sun at there backs and sun in martin eyes. And the female cooper had one other method that must have worked for her because I seen her use it three different times. She would circle high in the sky over the top of my martin colony. After a few dozen martins would go up to attack her she would just kept circling around and around. Untill one martin would get lower under her and not paying attention she would go into her dive.”

This is what the newer landlords need to learn. Coopers almost always approach with sun at there back, they are tough to see.

Also when the Martins get above and on top of the Coopers Hawk (like they like to do), the hawk can roll onto her back and snatch them out of the air.

Most hawk attacks in your colony you will never see happen.