Was watching my Martins come in tonight...

C.C.Martins · Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:09 pm

The hawks definitely like the commotion of a colony, martins get distracted and can be picked off. Mornings males leave early, females just a bit later. Not much socializing in the afternoon because there's still competition for cavities. Mid morning is best it seems.
Theres a bunch of oaks next street over and its full of red wing blackbirds, doves and grackles. our resident hawk blasts through them. you can almost follow it by the cloud of birds scattering. One male grackle hid under my neighbors car.
hawk has made a few passes (that iv seen) at the martins. went low between the houses, fast as an arrow.

Whippy, keep at it. do you know what kind of hawk it is? will it migrate through?

Whippy · Fri Mar 26, 2021 11:06 pm

C.C.Martins wrote: ↑
Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:09 pm

Whippy, keep at it. do you know what kind of hawk it is? will it migrate through?

C.C.

It's either a Coopers or Sharp Shinned. They are pretty similar in color and build but if I were to put money on it I would say it's a sharp shinned hawk. There is not much need for them to migrate out of Texas. They may bail if it gets too hot but, for the most part, they will stay here for the duration of the Martin season. I'm pretty sure they are mating and raising a brood in the area. As it is now there is no reason for them to move on. Way too much food available to them.

Thank you,

Coolwhips

deancamp · Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:30 am

Is it possible the neighbors would allow you to put bird netting on the lower part of their tree where he stages his attack. In other words try and make that tree difficult for him to set and attack from. Your in a difficult position and hopefully you will be able to find an answer. Good Luck

G Saner · Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:02 am

Hey Whippy,

Others more knowledgeable can comment put I think Sharp-shinned hawks breed in Canada. My former North Texas colony was attacked by a sharp-shinned hawk but he left in April. He did come back for several seasons but I guess he finally died.

Look at the hawk's tail when it is perching (if possible). The sharp-shinned has a more square tail at the tip and a Cooper's is more rounded. Sharp-shinned hawks are smaller than a Cooper's.

I wouldn't want either hawk attacking my colony but if it is a sharp-shinned, I think he will move on and you can enjoy your colony.

Gary

Whippy · Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:25 am

G- ,

Yeah. I've been looking at them closer. Our area is over run with coopers hawks. In the other thread I started I made mention of the fact that you can drive any where in this city and see a coopers hawk. The two look so similar its crazy but looking real close you can determine the difference. These hawks in my area are here year round.

Thank you.

Coolwhips

T-Bird · Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:39 pm

Hey Whip,

How is your Hawk situation? I was watching my birds tonight (3 pair hanging around my house) around 6:45pm and a damn Hawk swooped in out of nowhere and I believe got one of my birds. It happened so fast I couldn’t believe my eyes. Now my birds have left. Hope they come back.

T-Bird

Whippy · Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:35 pm

T-Bird wrote: ↑
Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:39 pm
Hey Whip,

How is your Hawk situation? I was watching my birds tonight (3 pair hanging around my house) around 6:45pm and a damn Hawk swooped in out of nowhere and I believe got one of my birds. It happened so fast I couldn’t believe my eyes. Now my birds have left. Hope they come back.

T-Bird

T-

I sent you an email through the site here.

Coolwhips