Hi kelala,
Thanks for your question!
There are a number of measures you can take to deter the red-tailed
hawk, or any kind of hawk, from your backyard. Here are several
methods you may wish to try:
If you have bird feeders in your yard, take them down for several days
and remove any spilled seed from the ground. The small birds attracted
to your food source are in turn a food source for hawks, encouraging
them to hang around, waiting to strike. After several days with no
potential prey, predator birds will likely conclude there's no reason
to stay and move on.
Another low-tech method is throwing a fit. :) According to the Urban
Wildlife site at <http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/springfield/urban.html>,
"If a hawk or owl shows up in your yard and you would like it to
leave, waving and shouting or banging pots together, will usually
chase the bird away." You may also wish to play loud music, increase
your presence in the yard or let a large dog, if you have one, run
around outside in the morning and evening, when hawks are more likely
to be on the hunt.
You can also fire a warning shot to scare away your feathered pests.
NOTE - Do not actually shoot the birds, as hawks are protected by law
in many areas! A single shot may well discourage the birds from
returning; for extra impact, you can also purchase "shell crackers,"
12-gauge shotgun shells containing a firecracker or noisemaker. You'll
want to investigate the legality of using pyrotechnics in your area.
If you're really serious about bird terrorism (a chicken farmer, for
example), you can try any of the following:
- Remove large, isolated trees and perching surfaces within 100 yards
- Cap poles with inverted spikes or sheet metal cones, or run electric
current through potential roosting spots
- Use scarecrows, moved regularly and used in conjunction with
shots/pyrotechnics
- Some people have found that placing mirrors on the roof of their
home has helped to ward off predator birds
- If all else fails, contact your local wildlife department for
assistance with live trapping and relocation.
Finally, while you're resolving the hawk issue, keep small pets
indoors and livestock penned for their protection.
You might find this link of interest:
Wildlife Damage Handbook
<http://wildlifedamage.unl.edu/handbook/handbook/allPDF/bird_e53.pdf>
I used the following search strings to find your answer:
"deter hawks"
"deter hawks from yard"
"deter red-tailed hawks"
Best of luck!
Emjay-ga |
