Hawk camping my feeders (1 Viewer)

I need some advice on this terrible problem. The past few days, I have become aware of what I believe to be a Cooper's hawk stalking my birds! There is snow on everything, which limits my beautiful bird visitors from finding food another way. We will have a couple of days warm up to melt the snow, 2 or 3 days of very cold weather, then more snow.

Thus far the birds and squirrels have safely fled the hawk, even after it swooped down on the very large evergreen bush near the feeders to try and catch one. I was sitting at the window and saw all the birds in the bush fly out the other side of the bush as the hawk swooped down, thank goodness! I also have weatherguards on top of my feeders to help protect the birds from hawk visibility from above. Thankfully, I haven't seen any "pile of feathers" that would indicate a hawk was successful.

Is it better to leave the feeders up during the winter, with snow on the ground, or should I take the feeders down for 2 weeks in the hope the hawk will move on? I am very worried about my birds and it would break my heart for any of them to be gotten by a predator or starve because of lack of feeder food at a hard part of this years Kansas winter.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, hawks are predators. It is the natural cycle that songbirds fall to the hawks predation. Hard for us back yard birders to see but it is the natural order of things. I would leave the feeders up and hope for the best.

I would leave the feeders up too. Prey/Predators have been doing an eternal dance since long before man was around - both have evolved different advantages so that one is not dominant over the other ...... it's a balance.

Try and think of it from the Hawk's point of view - those harsh times are lean for them too, and they may have families to feed, or be trying to maintain reserves to breed in the Spring, or just survive.

You've given the songbirds every advantage possible by providing covers and nearby shelter shrubs. They too will learn and become more aware. I'm sure they will be fine, and if the odd one does unfortunately fall to a predator, then be comforted that the majority survive, and it's just the natural order of things. Hawks are people too !



Chosun :gh:

I agree. Nature can seem raw at times but it's nature nonetheless.

Thank you

Thank you all for the replies. I really appreciate it. I will leave them up and keep as close a watch as I am able. I hope and pray my sweet bird visitors are kept safe (squirrels too). :t:

I guess my second area of concern, would be the group of starlings raiding my feeders and driving off my usual birds. Thus far, I have put out safflower and striped sunflower seeds, and put up an upside down suet feeder, a smaller tube feeder (with smaller perches) in the hopes of reducing the attraction and having them move along. I have left up the peanut feeder because of my nuthatches, carolina wrens, and the woodpeckers who also love them. The woodpeckers still are not using the upside down feeder (but a starling has).

Thus far the starlings haven't taken the hint, but fewer of them can fit on the feeders. My usual visitors still have times they get to feed. Starlings devoured everything in my large feeders a couple of weeks ago. I have also wondered if their presence also has attracted the hawks much more then perhaps they would otherwise be in my yard.

I know, the starlings must eat too, because of the snow, I tried to put cracked corn in another area away from my feeders, but they didn't go for it but my Jays and sparrows did.

I do feel for the hawks, and don't want them to starve, I just want them to find some other place to hunt.

So, any other suggestions on getting the starlings to move along? Any advice would be much appreciated!

we also have a hawk several times a week .

bigcypress said:

we also have a hawk several times a week .

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Is it camping your feeders too? Have you taken your feeders down or tried anything else to dissuade the hawk?

I'd take my feeders down if birds show up with conjunctivitis, but won't take feeders down for a raptor in the area.

For me it's the red shoulder hawk. I see feathers on the ground (a kill) near the feeders about once a year. I think the abundant supply of squirrel roadkill keeps the raptors well fed.

You can extend your feeder roofs (or put a dome squirrel baffle on top) to block line of sight between a raptor above and a bird at your feeder. This will also help keep seed dry from wind-blown rain....

kevinb70 said:

I'd take my feeders down if birds show up with conjunctivitis, but won't take feeders down for a raptor in the area.

For me it's the red shoulder hawk. I see feathers on the ground (a kill) near the feeders about once a year. I think the abundant supply of squirrel roadkill keeps the raptors well fed.

You can extend your feeder roofs (or put a dome squirrel baffle on top) to block line of sight between a raptor above and a bird at your feeder. This will also help keep seed dry from wind-blown rain....

Click to expand...

Yes, I have the squirrel baffles on top and the ground feeders are under the table. This is probably why I haven't seen a pile of feathers and hope to never lose a bird. I am glad your hawks usually miss too.

As others mentioned, it is their natural instinct as prey and predator. It is just so happen their prey are attracted to your feeder. Bet the hawks will be persistent until they catch some.