Hawks

[Jones4381]

Interesting string. Question, playing devils advocate here for a moment on removing protection for one species of a native bird (American Coopers Hawk), Should we allow the shooting of martins if bee keepers perceive insectivores as the primary reason of their declining bee populations on their property and advocate for the removing of this species from the migratory bird act?

Personally, I believe the migratory bird act has been an overwhelming success in the terrible history of man trying to resolve natural selection that has been prevalent for 1000's of years before we were involved or existed. It allows birds to remain one of the last creatures on earth that represents the ultimate freedom to work it out themselves. I've slaughtered hogs, cows, chickens, and many other animals...meat eaters kill, its just the way living things works, our intervention into resolving issues from personal emotions and experiences has always ended up being counter productive when we look back on temporary solutions that end up creating new problems not foreseen that are often much worse than the original. (Starlings HOSP, and many Asian plant species that's wreaked havoc on our plant populations.

Every living creature has something that will eventually consume it (no exceptions)..., secondly every creature will go extinct no matter our efforts as long as the planet exist. Currently Martins and Hawks both seem to be thriving...weather and climate corrections are probably the bigger threat from where I sit and should get more attention, perhaps it doesn't because it cant be fixed unitarily.

I'm 100% on the elimination of the HOSP and E Starling from this landscape as it cannot coexist and was introduced for someone's perception of this will be a good thing. I'm also an advocate of eliminating invasive plant and tree species that have probably done the most harm to our landscape by killing off the greatest tree the eastern US has ever seen...The American Chestnut (The perfect tree-good reading). There is a lot we all can do to protect and assist in aiding our native species but killing off any American Hawk is not the answer I guarantee you.

Best of luck in reducing the losses or accepting the losses as part of the bigger picture. Wishing all well and hope this is read without any contempt by a swell group of people that share the same passion but with different perceptions. I hope this opposing view is met with positivity as it was the intent. I feel everyone's pain as I've witnessed much death of wild animals by predation from other animals...The shrill of the sounds is the hardest part for me to witness knowing life is being extinguished but it is very natural.