How to Get Rid of Hawks

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Hawks are majestic creatures who have served as both a bane and boon for humans throughout the ages. These raptors can snatch moving prey almost effortlessly from both ground and air.

While falconers train different kinds of raptor for beneficial reasons, wild hawks can be a dangerous foe to ranchers who breed smaller animals such as rabbits or chickens. Hawk attacks are also a common cause of small pet injuries and deaths.

While these wild birds are usually protected, that doesn’t mean you can’t still fight them legally. Knowing how to get rid of hawks usually comes down to scaring them away and making your property less attractive to them.

Getting to Know Hawks

At least 11 types of hawk can be found in the US, with at least 17 species throughout North America. They and their kin are dubbed “raptors” due to the sharp, curved talons on their feet. Depending upon the species, a hawk can range in weight from 4 ounces to 3 ¼ pounds.

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Generally, hawks have grey to reddish-brown plumage along the top and lighter brown, yellow, or whitish plumage along the underside. The largest, a rough-legged hawk, has a length of 22 inches and a wingspan of 55 inches – making its width about the same as a child’s height!

Built to kill, a hawk’s beak can tear into meat easily, and their vision is approximately 8 times sharper than a human’s. Hawks are excellent fliers, able to soar for long distances at a time. When in a dive, their speed has been clocked at over 150 miles per hour, making it almost impossible for prey to escape.

See Also: Getting Rid of Barn Swallows

What do Hawks Eat?

Depending on the species and circumstances, hawks will eat large insects (such as grasshoppers and June beetles), amphibians, small reptiles, rodents, and other small mammals or birds. Larger hawks have been known to carry away small pets or even baby livestock when wild food is scarce.

what do hawks eat?

How Much Can a Hawk Lift?

As a general rule, hawks cannot carry more than they weigh. When killing a chicken or other large animal, most hawks will slay it on the ground and eat it there. Red-tailed hawks are the most common in residential areas and can lift 4 to 5 pounds – about the weight of an adult rabbit.

Hawk vs Falcon

hawk vs falcon

While they might appear similar when perched, hawks and falcons have different wing shapes. The hawk’s is broad and best suited for diving from lower perches. Meanwhile, falcons use their sickle-shaped wings to dive long distances for their prey.

The way they kill prey is also different. Hawks use their talons to pierce vital organs, causing a slower and more painful death. Falcons instead use their speed to strike hard and fast, stunning the prey or even killing them instantly.

Hawk vs Eagle

hawk vs eagle

While close kin, there are a number of important differences between hawks and eagles. The most obvious difference is in size. Eagles are one of the largest birds of prey, while hawks are smaller and vary greatly in size.

The powerful build of eagles allow them to snatch prey without landing, while hawks prefer quick strikes and will devour larger prey on the ground.

Are Hawks and Owls Enemies?

While hawks and owls are often associated due to their similar impact on livestock, owls are known to attack hawks (and vice-versa). This is pretty rare, as the two are rather evenly matched in a fight.

Owls can glide faster, but dive slower. The grip of an owl is 200psi stronger than that of a hawk, but their serrated talons aren’t as sharp as that of a hawk.

In reality, hawks and owls almost never fight, and when they do, it’s over a sudden territorial dispute where a nest is threatened. This is the real reason why owl decoys work against hawks. The hawk believes he’s invading on the owl’s territory.

Getting Rid of Hawks

Hawks are an important part of the local ecosystem, so what happens when one begins making trouble for you, your pets, livestock, or songbirds? Read on to find out!

Can I Shoot a Hawk Attacking my Chickens or Pets?

Most birds of prey are protected in the US by Federal law due to their vital role in controlling other pests. Injuring or killing a hawk can lead to fines or worse.

Note that there are exceptions for migratory birds of prey merely on the “Do Not Disturb” list, but it requires a special permit which can be difficult to obtain.

How to Scare Hawks Away from Your Yard

Hawks can cause a lot of problems when they deem something in your yard to be a potential food source. Thankfully, there are a lot of methods you can use to protect smaller animals in your yard.

What are Hawks Afraid of?

Due to their smaller size, it’s easier to scare hawks off than larger birds of prey. Loud sounds, large and violent gestures (do not try to hit the bird with anything), and using a deterrent will all scare a hawk out of your yard.

Using a Hawk Deterrent

owl statue for hawk control

There are a few types of deterrent you can use to keep hawks away. The first type is environmental. Prune any low-hanging tree branches and ensure the hawk has nowhere to perch. Removing bird feeders can also discourage hawks who are looking for an easy food source.

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Physical deterrents are also useful. Building a scarecrow or placing a large owl statue in the yard will fool the hawk into thinking a predator might be present. Just be sure to move this physical deterrent around occasionally, as hawks are highly intelligent and will notice if the deterrent remains stationary for more than a couple days.

Noise deterrents can also work well. Sonic deterrents are increasingly popular, but may not be appreciated by any pets. Of course, anything that produces loud noises can work. A Deer Chaser, while intended to keep deer away, may even work under certain circumstances.

See Also: How to Get Rid of Geese

Make Landing Difficult

While not exactly a scare tactic, hawks aren’t likely to stick around in an unfriendly environment. Begin by removing any dead branches and pruning back tall trees to make it harder for them to survey your yard as a potential hunting ground.

Chicken wire makes for an underappreciated covering to keep smaller yards and walkways safe from aerial attack. They’re also great for protecting crops and especially berries from smaller birds.

A third great tactic is to use roosting spikes. These deterrents won’t actually harm the hawk, but do make it uncomfortable to perch or land on any protected surfaces.

How to Keep Hawks Away from My Small Dog or Cat

While pretty rare, larger hawks have been known to attack toy breeds, cats, and other small pets. Having an enclosure with a roof can help protect the pet from attacks, although you will still have to watch to ensure the pet doesn’t escape your enclosure.

Do not use extendable leashes when walking your pet in an area known to have hawks. Keeping them closer to you means you can grab your pet and shield it while heading indoors.

Raptor Shields – A good way to protect your pet is to buy a raptor shield. This is a sturdy canvas cover that fits over your pet’s back and straps around the underside. The material shields the back and neck, making it impossible for a bird of prey to get a grip on your pet.

keep hawks away from dog

How to Keep Hawks Away from Bird Feeders

Bird feeders can attract a wide variety of wildlife to your backyard. Unfortunately, this also means attracting predators. The following tips will help keep songbirds and other wanted species safe.

Avoid Windows

Placing the feeder too close to windows can do more harm than good. A panicked bird will likely fly into the glass while trying to escape.

Emergency Shelter

Placing the feeder near bushes or enclosed structures will give sparrows, finches, and other birds a place to hide if a hawk targets the feeder.

Feeder Cages

Using wire cages around the feeders will allow songbirds to safely get to the food while making it difficult for predators and other large critters to reach the seed or suet. The downside is that this method will also block cardinals, which are known to protect songbirds from jays and other threats.

How to Keep Hawks Away from Chickens

Three species of hawk have earned the name “Chicken hawk” due to their attacks on chickens. These are red-tailed, Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks. The good news is there are several ways to protect your chickens – many of which you never thought of.

keep hawks away from chickens

Ground Cover

Having a raised chicken coop, deck, or shrubs that your chickens can hang out under makes for both safe and happy fowl. They’ll often congregate in the shade to cool off, but will also have a place to hide if a predator appears.

Guard Dogs

A large breed dog that gets on well with your chickens can be an excellent deterrent from not only birds of prey, but other predators. Just make sure not to keep a schedule when letting the dog out if it’s an indoor dog. Letting them out at random will ensure the hawks remain cautious.

Roosters

Believe it or not, chickens are pretty intelligent, and roosters can be very protective. Whether you raise free-range chickens in an urban or rural setting, roosters will scan for birds of prey and guard the hens actively as long as a potential threat is present. Not all roosters are excellent guards, so try to get one that exhibits protective qualities.

Scarecrows

As mentioned earlier, good scarecrow can protect against a wide range of crop-killing pests, but can also protect against birds of prey. You can also use an owl statue. Just be sure to move them around every few days, because hawks do pay attention and pick up on tricks quickly. Note that it’s best to use these deterrents alongside other methods for the best results.

Shiny Things

While some species, such as crows, love to collect shiny objects, hawks and other birds of prey will see a flash of light and think it’s food. Flying into a pie tin is very frustrating, so hawks may eventually look elsewhere for less metallic tasting meals.

How to Attract Hawks (For Pest Control)

how to attract hawksWhile we’ve spent most of this article talking about hawks as pests, there is another side to the coin. Many cities have imported red-tailed hawks to help control the rock dove (AKA pigeon) population. You can also make use of local hawks to take care of a variety of pest problems.

The Garden

Attracting hawks to your garden can help eliminate all sorts of garden pests, from rodents to some insects. Sure, you will have to give up attracting songbirds, but the payoff might be worth it. Providing ample nesting and perching areas will give the hawks a spot to attack from, and keeping noisy people or animals out of the garden can help make the garden more attractive.

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The Yard

Having a section of your yard with tall grasses or other flexible ground cover will encourage all kinds of mice and rodents to congregate in those areas. Hawks make for fantastic mouse repellents.

You can also build nesting boxes to encourage hawks to stick around. Just make sure to have a bird feeder or other source of water available.

Morgan
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64 thoughts on “How to Get Rid of Hawks”

  1. Hawks are always attacking my birds in backyard so I try to put seed underneath bushes to avoid a prime target, sometimes I use party poppers to scare them away! They are pretty fearless.

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  2. I have so many different little ones needing the seed and fat but came home and spotted a hawk or falcon on my umbrella near the feeder. Little ones sing joyously in the morning. Big birds too I watch waiting on a higher roof even after dark.

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  3. I lost one chicken 5 wks ago to a hawk , the first time in 5 yrs of having chickens . He returned the next day looking for more and I ran after him clanging two garbage can Lids together. I used long strips of baling twine and red strips of fabric and flagged from fences to trees as much as I could and in the open area I took 3 , 7 foot apple tree cages and flag those in the area that the yard is open I’ve seen the hawk twice but I still have all my chickens . we do have a rooster and the other girls do respond to his call. From a distance I do believe the white chicken stand out for a Hawk’s View

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    • I feel the same way. Only differences is. I have 2 little Shih Tzu’s. One is 15 pounds and the other is only 9 pounds. I have 2 hawks that fly around in my back yard and hide(try) in the trees. I live in the suburbs. And I told my husband it has one time to land in my yard and it will be dead.

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      • I just had a hawk attack my shih tzu in my front yard with me standing there. I called the police and asked what I can do , they said call the game commission so I did, they told me to call the police. I told the police I’m gonna shoot it and they said do what you have to.

      • It sounds as if your local game commission isn’t very well trained. I would suggest calling the state office and explaining the situation, then making sure it’s okay to shoot the hawk. In the event the hawk has protected status, they’ll make sure someone from the local office actually addresses the situation (and will likely hover over the employees there for a while to ensure they do their job).

        As shooting a protected critter can lead to heavy fines or worse, it’s always best to take these precautions. The state office might even issue you a one-time permit if the local office is unwilling to assist.

        We’d love to hear if and how this gets resolved, as incidents of raptors attacking small dogs are not uncommon.

      • Kathy,
        I understand your frustration!
        I got my elderly mom a puppy Shihtzu/yorkie right before Covid19. He has been a blessing for her do to this difficult time. I knew her neighbor had a Hawk nest. I was working in her yard and the Hawk came swooping over the roof down at the 10month old dog 10lbs. As I was standing there. I was watering flowers and was shocked too close. Luckily, Hawk didn’t get him. But landed in the tree staring at the dog. Not fazed I was started to spray it with water. Hawk flew off. Unfortunately, Hawks are PROTECTED under the LAW so it’s not worth killing and getting arrested. I am going to buy a protected vest and things to deter them. I have told my mom to go out with him. But there is no guarantee. I live in the mtn and have Shihtzu/Pomeranian 3.5lb dog so I am really careful do to Mountain lion, bobcats, moose etc.
        Our dogs are family. Just like our children we have to take precautions to protect them from the World!

      • I understand your love for your precious fur babies but let me tell you they make doggie vests that make it impossible for a hawk to get through and grab your babies. Remember Hawks ( I do not like them and am constantly scaring them away) but they have every right to hunt and eat. It’s nature. They’re not evil. 🙂

    • I agree. Who is going to know if I land a blow on a hawk threatening my pets? If I don’t kill it, I would certainly take it to the nearest raptor rehab center for care. Injured raptors are found quite frequently around here. I don’t want to see anything suffer, but my pets or livestock come first.

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    • Amen brother!! I have my scatter gun at the ready! If a bank can protect it’s money and a store it’s supply I can protect my money and my food supply!

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      • Oh, and saying hawks are endangered is a flat out lies! I see hundreds of them grouped together everyday. And I can drive 10 miles away and see another 100 then another 10miles etc etc. It’s a lie they are endangered!

  4. The bird kill my sweet Bunny, hopefully he did not eat. My Bunny Lop Holland was received more love and care till he die. I hate the bird but is the Cycle. Wherever is awful and I’m glad he did not eat my bunny.

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    • Same. I hv a bunny and i worry all the time. Hes in a birdcage back porch, where he, the dog and the cat sites most days… and thn on weekends when my ol man is home. Hoping that a hawk wont go thru the screen to get my bunny or the kitty. Lord please protect them!!!!

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  5. I have a 8 lb white dog malti-poo a hawk swooped down into my little yard, but my cattle dog barked and leapt off the ground and stopped it! I was watering brave hawk! It just flew over us again tonight has anyone used a decoy? Owl figure etc?

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  6. We have had a problem with hawks for the last couple years in our subdivision with lots of trees and bushes. They have pretty much eliminated all of our birds – saw a hawk chase a rabbit underneath a car this weekend and the hawk when under the car! They perch on the porch railings – one was on top of my car this morning. They are very vocal and loud all the time. We have seen 4. Any ideas of what we can do – they perch high up in our trees so I don’t think a scarecrow or anything would work. It is just sad. Now my dog is petrified of the sound they make.

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    • Wow. Very similar to what’s going on around where I live here in Oklahoma. I wonder if this is seasonal? Is there a time of the year (winter perhaps?) where they migrate to warmer climates?

      Like South America maybe?

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      • I live in Jacksonville, FL and it seems like every September-October the hawks come to our area and are all over the place. Two years ago I was dog sitting my sisters chihuahua while she was getting married in TN and a hawk got her dog while she was in my backyard. It was devastating and makes my stomach turn every time I think about it. I know it’s the circle of life but I cannot stand hawks. I watched them chase 5 ducks yesterday. I have 4 dogs, 2 of which are under 10lbs and I am so scared they are going to get snatched. I have 2 fake owls that I move around from different fence posts and also have a loud windchime that hopefully keeps them away. I hate that my dogs can’t roam free in their own backyard. I’m thinking about adding a scarecrow to see if that helps any.

      • It’s usually an uphill battle, especially in an urban or suburban area, but you could try to talk to your local code enforcement office and request permission to add a chicken wire “roof” to your yard. Under normal circumstances, fences have a height limit, but they may be willing to negotiate a solution. Such enclosures can also be helpful if you have a garden and wish to keep critters from munching on your berry bushes. In the event they’re unwilling to enclose the whole yard, you should at least be able to get a permit to build an enclosed dog run.

        Please update us on the results if you request permission to build an enclosure, as it could potentially be of help to a lot of other readers.

  7. Common for Hawks to take cats and small dogs here in San Diego. I have heard horror stories. Now a family is living real close in the park trees. I hear them screeching constantly. I’m afraid for my toy breed doggies that sun during the day. Going to buy an owl decoy & build a scare crow.

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  8. Start a small chiminea fire in your back yard. They hate the smoke because it disorients them. Scarecrows also work wonders, but you have to move them frequently

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  9. Hawks have been preying on squirrels and rabbits in my yard. I found a squirrel carcass on my lawn and bits of a rabbit in a water bowl I placed for birds. I understand hawks have to eat but its very heartbreaking when the pick off small mammals that live in the yard!! What to do?! The garden has become a place of horrors.

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    • Just a little tid bit for ya….hawks AND raccoons clean their food before they eat it…so, your bird water basin is perfect for their dining experience ;/

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    • I so can relate.. I lost my dog and feeding squirrels and birds have really helped me. But just today saw some grey squirrel fur in my back yard.. knew exactly what had happened. Literally broke my heart. You certainly become attached to your little regulars that come around.. I feel such guilt like I set them up to be killed by hawks. I have used an air gun to scare them away .. but unfortunately I think when they are successful in your yard you will be on their map of places to stalk. I was just trying to do something kind for squirrels and birds and in turn help me through my loss.. it’s turned into a nightmare.

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  10. I’m not sure whether it makes a difference or not, but I keep brightly colored little shirts on my Yorkies to try and prevent them from looking like a food source. Have some rather large hawks constantly visiting my yard.

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  11. could someone please contact me and give me advice on how to rid my yard of red tail hawks that kill my pigeons to the tune of one a month ??….who can I call to try to get permission to deal with the hawks — there has to be a way…please — give me a contact number. I live in Southern Florida. Thanks, Carl.

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  12. There is a vest made to protect small dogs. It’s funny looking but supposedly works.
    It is called CoyoteVest Pet Body Armour. It is made of tough material and has spikes (safe to humans handling the pet) that prevent predators from grabbing on. It seems to work well according to reviews. Looks like it’s effective.
    Look it up just to see what it looks like! It’s worth it. I can’t seem to post a pic here.
    Still, I keep any small pet on a short leash and next to me outdoors even in a fenced yard as the risk is great everywhere from birds of prey as they have flourished recently.

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  13. When predators cannot be stopped by LAW, it is time to change the laws.
    We live 6 miles from downtown and the hawks, eagles and now ospreys are taking over our lovely suburban neighborhood.
    These “laws” need to be changed. Songbirds, and little critters are just as important as predatory birds.
    Have you seen the YouTube where a huge bird of prey tries to snatch a toddler in a park in Europe?? Thank God the toddler proved too heavy, but it took the little one entirety off the ground when the parent was right nearby.
    The Bible says to be GOOD stewards, I didn’t any part about only protecting birds of prey…?

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    • They didn’t move into YOUR area, you moved into theirs.
      Your “lovely suburban neighborhood” is their hunting grounds. If you don’t like it, move to the city.

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      • I would go after a human for attacking my pet, screw the bird. Its not my fault some bird watcher decided that my pet who is family to me is less important than my family. If a bird of prey attacks any part of my family, it is dead. I will not let my pets be hauled off and disemboweled. People like to sound all moral and to take a stance as a quote “animal lover: yet don’t even have the moral aptitude protecting an animal who would lay its life down for me in a heartbeat.”

      • Thank you Jason! Nature is not always pretty. Trying to control it is not possible or right. Humans are the problem not the birds hawks etc. Let them be. It’s tough but it’s nature. We have no right to take their land and then complain. I say this with all due respect to all.

      • Me too. I love all animals & nature but my chihuahua comes before a bird of prey. And incidentally my house has been here since the 1800s so I didn’t invade their territory

    • Btw an anon….that video is fake! It has been Proven to be fake. Also there’s no way possible for a raptor the size of the one in the video could ever pick up a child or anything that size much less fly a few feet with it. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Just a little FYI.

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  14. I have been using tomato cages with clear bags over them to deter hawks in my area. Clears bags give off reflections from the sun and make noises on winding days and wired tomato cages placed within about 3 feet apart all around my yard so far has prevented hawks swooping down because of their wide wing span. I’m thinking of using twine in between areas of tomato cages. I have two Chihuahuas and I sit out there with them watching them like a hawk while I’m looking for the hawks. Do not take your eyes off pets and never have your back from them, assume that hawks are watching your every move. My neighbors let me know when hawks are hovering nearby. I hope in what I have been doing helps someone else. Use reflective owls, wind chimes on the outside of your property.

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  15. A bald eagle came really close to snatching or attempting to snatch my 12 lb terrier while she was returning with a ball. A neighbor was close by and scared it off, but it was close. I ordered a coyote vest for her and now feel a bit safer. I always scan the sky and nearby trees when throwing a ball for her now. Do not buy a red or pink vest. That is the color of spawning salmon, their usual prey. A cougar took a German Shepherd while it was on a leash around here the other day. https://globalnews.ca/news/7693267/cougar-attack-german-shepherd-puppy/

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  16. Have seen so many this year and they swarm from 2 to 10 at a time. Using scarecrow and owl statues, mannequin works great it even fools me

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  17. Well I just had the worst thing happen, ever! I had 2 Mourning Doves mate on my patio here in the city. They had 2 eggs and hatched 2 babies on Memorial Day. I named them Liberty and Freedom. They learned to fly over the weekend on my porch going back and forth from the nest to the shelf and ladder. Then Monday morning they were all gone! I was so happy they graduated. Then a red tailed hawk showed up on my porch! I was mortified and shewed it away! Then the dove parents showed up and cood and cood all day. They left that evening. Then the hawk came back and swooped in onto the shelf under my over hang on the porch! I went outside to kill it but It was to fast! Now I’m devastated that little Freedom and Liberty were eaten alive! The parents aren’t coming back now and I don’t blame them. Please help on what to get so the doves will come but the hawk will not. I’m so bummed and so sad.

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  18. So we’ve had a family of red tailed hawks living in our eucalyptus tree since about February of this year. Hasn’t been an issue until recently, around June 1st. The mother hawk attacked me twice (very fast dive like attack). Once while mowing the lawn and the other when edging the lawn. On the second dive attack I actually had to roll to the ground and aim the trimmer towards the hawk. My wife has also had one attack attempt while watering flowers. I understand that the mother is protecting her 3 young ones, but why the aggression all of a sudden? The young hawks are now flying on their own and we hardly see the two adult hawks. All the reseach I’ve done online states that they hawks should’ve left by now to move on to another location. Any advise on what I can legally do to get these hawks out of here?

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    • Sorry this is happening to you. In this situation, it’d be best to contact a local wildlife control company who may be able to remove the nest according to local laws. But you’re right, normally you won’t have aggression if the baby hawks have already left the nest. Even if the divebombing stops, the nest should be removed to help prevent them from returning next year.

      If the attacks happen in only one area of the yard, a waving flag in that area may help. Also, hawks almost always attack ONLY when your back is turned to them so while that’s tricky when doing yard work, it’s something to keep in mind.

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    • Wow, very bold even for a hawk. I was outside the other day with my little flock, a few chickens and a couple ducks. I noticed the ducks moving at a good clip to get behind where I was, looked up and saw a hawk in it’s death dive thinking it was going to get a duck dinner. I jumped up, got between the hawk and my ducks, staring it straight in the eye. It got within 6 ft, 2 ft off the ground and decided a hard right and going hungry was more prudent. I would have booted him into next week had he not.

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  19. I have a huge hawk that is hanging around my home. I see him on the roof, on top of my fence and on top of the brick wall behind my house. I have 3 dogs, weighing 7, 9 and 10 pounds. I no longer allow them in the back yard alone and even keep the 7 pound on a leash/harness and hold on tight. Today, I put old CD’s on twine and hung them from the trees. They are very shiny and reflect the sun very well. I also put strips of aluminum foil around the area, on my pool cage and fence. I also ordered a decoy owl to put in the yard. This is the biggest hawk I have ever seen, in fact when I saw it in flight, thought is was an owl. Any other suggestions to keep my little dachshunds safe?

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  20. I have been fighting hawks for years! I have birds, squirrels, and my babies ( chipmunks )!!!!! I have learned that hawks don’t care about loud noises, fake owls or even humans chasing them, all they do then is take off swoop around and hide a wait for you to turn your back like happened to me today! I heard a noise from a bird I know is a noise they make well scared from almost being caught! I ran to see and saw a bird hiding behind cinder blocks with a hawk sitting on the fence above it starring at it. So I charged the hawk and told him to get the **** out of here and every hawk in the area knows me by face as a threat! It took off and it looked like it left but it must have just swooped around and landed in the tree above the fence minutes later, because then all of a sudden it came down from the tree grabbed the bird a took of when I went to turn around, I have hit them with snowballs, rocks, sticks, and anything I have next to me but if they are not dead or hurt they are a constant threat to my yard, fines or jail time for me is better then death for the animals that have come to trust me for there food and protection, the only good hawk is a dead hawk in my eyes they are sneaky disgusting birds!!!!!

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    • Yes! 100 per cent agree with you! It looked like a car hit one as there was a dead one lying on a sidewalk right off of a busy street close to where I live.. I wanted to throw a party.. I despise how they terrorize my neighborhood!

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    • Agree. My neighborhood is completely infested with Hawks. They’re aggressive and cunning. There is something absolutely CREEPY about the way they will stare you down if you dare to protect a small animal they want. In one case, it was my tiny puppy! This thing kept circling us every time we went into my back yard, then one day it made a determined swoop at her. I charged at it and grabbed my dog. The hawk swerved to the fence and stared me straight in the eyes but would not leave. It kept stalking us until my puppy grew bigger, but they regularly take birds from my oak trees. I think they’re disgusting. A few may not be too bad, but the huge numbers we have now are an absolute menace! They’re like a gang!

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    • Love this! I completely agree and they are my apartment complex squirrels as well as cats have their babies on the roofs and they are snatching them left and right! And my heart cannot take it I can’t not try to do something! My dog loves these squirrels they literally come up and allow residents that are close to them the tree in front they come up the stairs and eat from her. It’s adorable and she just watched the two babies get taken away leaving mama and little baby and mama squirrel has been gone since I have a theory she’s out gathering the big guys so she can do what a momma needs to do lmao I really hope she’s not gone because of that I it was just funny, I wish they could protect themselves it’s awful but if that were her intentions to go look then she would just be next… 2 hawks 3 years same tree they’ve nested jn right across the way where our squirrels live in ever single tree and as you’re walking down the complex there’s about 7ft until another tree and so on continuing along the road of the complex which is long.

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  21. We’ve seen far more predators, especially hawks, than there have been in our valley for many decades. We’ve had to get creative with repelling hawks, rather than killing them, since it’s illegal here to kill them. I have had to completely enclose my chicken run with a chain-link dog fence and heavy gauge wire “roof”. I’m also going to employ some of the great ideas I’ve read here! My cats also have an enclosed “catio” (also a chain-link dog fence) which needs a bird-netting cover because the hawks have been swooping close to the house and checking out the cats. A fox, we think, took one of our laying hens right out of our yard, just a few feet from the house! Now they’ve started digging a tunnel under the “catio” enclosure. My next step-up in security for my critters is to dig a 1 foot trench around both enclosures, line the trench with 1/2″ wire mesh, attaching it to the fence, and bury it, making sure that the predators can not burrow into the chickens’ or cats’ enclosures. I have a solar fencer to add an extra barrier outside of that, if needed, where cats & hens can’t get to it, but hawks & such may get a little zap if they decide to perch too close. My husband ran electric to my chicken coop, an old block milk house, so now I have a bright light to scare off the bear that has been coming around lately!

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  22. So much entitlement and ignorance here! Makes me embarrassed to be human. Native wildlife are NOT overpopulating the planet, humans and our domestic pets and livestock are. Every animal you folks are hating on fulfills important ecological niches. Meanwhile, people and our pets and livestock deplete the earth and fill no ecologically beneficial role. Considering these facts, it would do humans well to show some humility, compassion and tolerance for our wild neighbors by doing everything we can to live peacefully with them. My husband and I have managed a cow/calf operation for decades around coyotes/lions and other predators without killing a single one. In fact, we appreciate them for keeping our ranch lands healthier. Do we lose an occasional animal to predators? Yes we do, but we would lose even more by engaging in a killing campaign against them.

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    • Oh, for grief’s sake!
      The Bible says for humans to be a good steward, that does not mean that predators cannot be dispatched when the situation requires it.
      Squirrels, songbirds, and such little critters are not domesticated; they are wild. Dogs fulfill a service to man, just as your cattle do to you.
      Most people here did not say they “hated on” birds of prey, they just do not find the compatible in their environment. The birds of prey have moved in for easy pickings – they have loads of forests and native land to live in.
      Genesis 1:26
      Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
      He is allowing mankind to decided individually and situationally what to do with each animal and each incident. Most people here are talking about passive measures (scarecrows, fences)…I would call that pretty good, benevolent stewardship!
      It humors me because you speak like this and have a Ranch?
      Just what are you doing with Cattle? They were also once WILD,, but now they are semi-domesticated. Do you have them butchered? You said Ranch, not Dairy, so I assume so. You have animals and have decided what they will be used for and how they will be managed, yet other people do not have that same right?

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    • You obviously do not have a strong bond or connection with any animals from your lack of empathy. I don’t say kill all the hawks all they want is their pet safe in their yard which I think is totally understandable! You can’t argue that when mama cat watches, half of her litter get snatched from her in the blink of an eye, not OK.

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  23. Agreed. If a predator whether flying or walking threatens me, mine it’s a dead predator. Permission needed to protect you or yours? Nope.

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  24. Agreed.

    A 12 gauge does wonders.

    If someone in an office thinks they need to be protected they need to come get them and protect them before they grab the wrong puppy.

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  25. I put up a wire grid from tree to tree across my back yard. I used thin wire from the hardware store and just crisscrossed the yard about 8 to 10 feet up. So far, we have not had any of the resident hawks land in the yard or attempt to capture one of our small dogs but we may just be lucky. I got this idea from a bird control website several years ago. Supposedly the birds will not try to fly down past the wire due to their large wing span. Check out Bird Barrier and Bird B Gone. I used their products for commercial bird control. They sell a wire grid system but it is expensive.

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  26. Any hawk attacks my best friend little dog I’m going hunting till I find that bird or any other predator. My dog is my life.

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  27. There is a nest of Hawks in our neighbors tree. One of the hawks tried to get out cat. An emergency visit and $730 to a vet and our cat lived.
    When our cat was younger he was picked up by an owl. He now hunts these birds. Keeping him inside isn’t an option. He will tear down the walls. I’m tempted to talk to these neighbors to see if the will cooperate with us scaring the birds out of that tree? I don’t know. I can’t sleep at night knowing they are out there. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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  28. Hi there everyone

    I live in a small village in the South East of England on a modern housing development with a pathetically puny back garden! In the past 3 years out of the 4 I have lived here, we get regular sparrow hawk attacks. I have contacted the RSPB and been advised to block the Hawks entrance by placing a washing line across the garden, leave my garden parasol up and place objects around to deter a direct flight/swoop onto the unsuspecting little sparrows that are eating and hopping happily around and taking seed from their ground feeding trays. The attacks are more frequent and so incredibly sad to witness, and to date NOTHING has deterred them. In fact one day an adult and young Hawk were here at the same time. They do not care if you walk up to chase them off and seem very defiant in completing their mission of grabbing a tiny bird and shredding it in front of me. Can anyone help with a solution to my problem as all I am getting from the RSPB now is…its all part of the Eco system and predation is a natural thing!!! Throughout the year I protect many birds that have been either mauled by a cat or fledged a little early, and let them fly away once fully recovered. WHY do we have to put up with this nasty behaviour and not allowed by LAW to do anything. Why aren’t the RSPB protecting our small innocent garden birds???? Grrrr Very Angry

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